“…Pharmacognosy research has corroborated that Monascus species contain several bioactive secondary metabolites, such as monacolins with hypolipidemic activities, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) with an antihypertensive effect, dimerumic acid, which reduces the damage caused by oxidative-stress in cells, and azaphilonoid pigments with anti-inflammatory and antitumor activity [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ]. In our previous studies, Monascus purpureus NTU 568 fermented RMR was examined for the regulation of obesity-related factors [ 15 ], the mitigation of oral carcinogenesis in 7,12-dimethyl-1,2-benz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced oral tumors [ 16 ], and the amelioration of memory impairment [ 17 ] in vivo . Recently, three new yellow pigments, monaphilones A, B and C, were isolated from RMR by our laboratory [ 18 ].…”