Teratogenic effect evaluation of Monascus red oral exposure to pregnant rats and their gut microbiota

• DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2025.108843
• Publication Date: 2025-02-01T16:03:21Z
• Authors: Yuenan Wang; Xuedan Xu; Yun Liu; Zhenfeng Huang; Hongxia Wang; Kexin Wang; Yayi Huang; Xinyu Yang; Tingting Sun; Jieling Wang; Jianbin Tan; Xingfen Yang; Min Zhao

Monascus red (MR) is widely used as a natural food colorant and preservative in East Asia. However, the potential effects of MR during pregnancy remains unknown. In this study, was administrated to Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at doses 0, 0.50, 1.58, 5.00g/kg bw on gestational days 6-15 by oral gavage. maternal embryo-fetal examinations, there were no marked toxicities terms general clinical signs, body weight, consumption, serum endocrine indices, organ weights, thyroid histopathology, examinations uterine contents fetuses. gut microbiota analysis, dose decreased α diversity slightly changed their community structure genus level. Yet animals or development observed. The no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) developmental toxicity through exposure bw, highest tested rats.