Red Yeast Rice for the Treatment of Dyslipidemia

Overview

Journal Curr Atheroscler Rep

Publisher Springer

Specialty Cardiology & Vascular Diseases

Date 2015 Mar 3

PMID 25728312

Citations 24

Authors

Frances M Burke

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Red yeast rice (RYR) is a Chinese herbal supplement produced by fermenting white rice with the yeast, Monascus purpureus. The Chinese have used RYR to flavor, color, and preserve foods and as a traditional medicine for many years. In the USA, RYR has been used as an alternative to statin therapy in treating patients with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia. RYR contains a variety of monacolins, which inhibit hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase, the rate-limiting step in cholesterol synthesis. Consumption of RYR has increased recently especially among patients who might be intolerant to standardized therapy due to statin-associated myalgia (SAM). Several clinical trials have shown RYR to be safe, effective, and well tolerated; however, the studies are small and of short duration. The US Food and Drug Administration has prohibited the sale of all RYR products containing monacolin K, which is chemically identical to lovastatin, because it is considered an unapproved drug. However, many RYR supplements continue to remain on the market and lack standardization and quality control.

Citing Articles

Determination of Puberulic Acid in Monascus-Fermented Red Yeast Rice by LC-MS/MS Combined with Precolumn Derivatization.

Pan H, Feng R, Tan Y, Qin X, Cao Y, Mao X Toxins (Basel). 2025; 17(1).

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Lipid-lowering, antihypertensive, and antithrombotic effects of nattokinase combined with red yeast rice in patients with stable coronary artery disease: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial.

Liu M, Xu Z, Wang Z, Wang D, Yang M, Li H Front Nutr. 2024; 11():1380727.

PMID: 38812930 PMC: 11133624. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1380727.

Diet and Lipid-Lowering Nutraceuticals in Pediatric Patients with Familial Hypercholesterolemia.

Capra M, Biasucci G, Banderali G, Vania A, Pederiva C Children (Basel). 2024; 11(2).

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Natural Substances vs. Approved Drugs in the Treatment of Main Cardiovascular Disorders-Is There a Breakthrough?.

Grujic-Milanovic J, Rajkovic J, Milanovic S, Jacevic V, Miloradovic Z, Nezic L Antioxidants (Basel). 2023; 12(12).

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The Questionable Quality Profile of Food Supplements: The Case of Red Yeast Rice Marketed Products.

Vitiello A, Izzo L, Castaldo L, dAngelo I, Ungaro F, Miro A Foods. 2023; 12(11).

PMID: 37297387 PMC: 10252911. DOI: 10.3390/foods12112142.

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