monascin and Skin-Neoplasms

Monascin (1) constitutes one of the azaphilonoid pigments in the extracts of Monascus pilosus-fermented rice (red-mold rice). Compound 1 was evaluated for its anti-tumor-initiating activity via oral administration on the two-stage carcinogenesis of mouse skin tumor induced by peroxynitrite (ONOO-; PN) or by ultraviolet light B (UVB) as an initiator and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) as a promoter. Compound 1 exhibited marked inhibitory activity on both PN- and UVB-induced mouse skin carcinogenesis tests. These findings suggest that compound 1 may be valuable as potential cancer chemopreventive agent in chemical and environmental carcinogenesis.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Female; Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring; Mice; Mice, Inbred SENCAR; Molecular Structure; Monascus; Oryza; Plant Extracts; Skin Neoplasms; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; Time Factors