Effect of Monascus purpureus-fermented rice on lipidemia and fatty liver in quail.

Monascus purpureus-fermented rice (MR), a preparation which has been shown to be hypolipidemic and antiatherogenic in rabbits and hamsters was fed to quail maintained on a high fat diet to determine if it could influence lipidemia and hepatic steatosis. MR was fed at two levels (0.8 or 1.6 g/kg/d), and compared with a lipoptropic preparation (dongbaogantai 0.6 g/kg/d) and an established hypolipidemic compound (lovastatin 6 mg/kg/d). All the test compounds lowered serum lipids and liver cholesterol levels. Dongbaogantai inhibited hepatic steatosis to the greatest extent (78%), lovastatin inhibited steatosis by 29% and the low and high doses of MR by 25 and 43%, respectively. These serum cholesterol lowering agents have been shown to reduce hepatic steatosis induced by dietary means.