近年來有許多研究利用天然物去預防或治療疾病。根據多項研究顯示，紅麴菌二級代謝產物會產生許多對人類有益的物質，例如膽固醇合成抑制劑、降血壓物質、降血糖物質、抗氧化物質和防癌物質。過去亦有細胞研究指出紅麴能抑制雄性荷爾蒙，但其相關的作用機制尚未明瞭，且在活體內是否具有相同療效也有待確認。因此，本研究的目的是以動物實驗模式評估紅麴對雄性荷爾蒙相關疾病之作用效果。實驗分為1.抑制前列腺肥大評估: 以六週大Wistar大鼠前處理flutamide 20 mg/kg 21天後腹腔注射睪固酮同時於飼料中添加紅麴達四週，每週秤重每天秤飼料攝取量，犧牲後收集血液測量二氫睪固酮的濃度及前列腺重。2.預防雄性禿評估:採用自行配種至12週大B6CBAF1/j小鼠，每週五天腹腔注射睪固酮並同時在飼料中添加紅麴達12週，在第八週開始觀察老鼠毛髮的脫落情形並拍照記錄。3.Xenografts model抑制腫瘤評估:採用6-8週大裸鼠，於皮下注射PC-3細胞株2*106顆，每天記錄腫瘤生成大小。4.採用PC-3細胞株做為紅麴抑制前列腺癌細胞之潛能與機轉探討。結果顯示，大鼠實驗中添加紅麴的組別其前列腺重有下降的趨勢，而在低、中劑量的組別中二氫睪固酮的含量也較控制組低。雄性禿實驗在飼料中添加紅麴亦能有效預防公鼠落髮之情形，且有劑量-效應關係。Xenografts model中則發現，紅麴之有效成分Monascuspoloin(MP)可以有效抑制腫瘤的生長。而細胞實驗中發現，紅麴之有效成分MP具有抑制前列腺細胞PC-3的存活率，增加細胞週期G2/M 期的停滯，以及早期細胞凋亡和自體吞噬百分比。在蛋白質表現量方面，MP處理後可以減少PC-3細胞Akt/p-Akt、Bcl-2和mTOR/p-mTOR之表現量，而LC3I/II表現量則有上升的趨勢。此研究顯示，紅麴具有抑制二氫睪固含量、預防雄性禿和抑制前列腺癌細胞生長的能力進而達到治療效果。

Objective: The aims of this study was to investigate the effects of Monascus crude extract and one of the purified component Monascuspiloin(MP) on androgen-related disease, including prostate hyperplasia, male pattern baldness and prostate cancer.
Design: 1.We used flutamide + testosterone to induce prostate hyperplasia in Wistar rats. In the mean time, Monascus was given in Lab 5010 Diet for four weeks. Then we determined the prostate weight and serum dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels. 2.B6CBAF1/j mice were injected daily with testosterone at a dose of 1 mg/day. Meanwhile, Monascus was given in Lab 5010 Diet for twelve weeks. Hair loss of B6CBAF1/j hybrid mouse was determined on 12 and 15 weeks after treatment. 3.Human prostate cancer cell lines (PC-3 cells) was used in the in vitro study. Immunoblotting was used to determine autophagy-and apoptosis-associated proteins expression. DAPI and acidic vesicular organelles (AVO) were detected by fluorescence microscopy. 4.In vivo anti-cancer effect of MP was assessed by PC-3 cells xenograft nude mice model.
Results: The result demonstrated that administration of Monascus could effectively reduce the prostate weight and serum DHT in rats treated with testosterone. In addition, we also found that dietary supplemention of Monascus could inhibit hair loss in male B6CBAF1/j mice when compared to testosterone-treated control. In xenografts model, MP inhibited tumor growth significantly. The cell culture study shows that MP inhibited prostate cell proliferation through induction of both autophagic and apoptotic cell death, which could be related to Akt-mTOR signaling pathways. Taken together, we suggested that Monascus may be an effective agent for treatment and/or prevention of prostate hyperplasia , male pattern baldness, and prostate cancer.
Conclusion: Our data suggested that Monascus, which is used in traditional oriental medicine for the treatment of various ailments, may be an attractive agent for treatment and/or prevention of androgen-related disease.

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