Red yeast rice

Other common names: Hong qu
Latin name: Monascus purpureus Went. [Monascaceae]



Red yeast rice is a traditional Chinese fermented product made
from a red yeast, Monascus purpureus Went., that is grown on rice.
Documentation of the use of red yeast rice extends back to the Tang
dynasty in 800 A.D. Red yeast rice products contain a group of compounds
called the monacolins, which are a family of polyketides. The
monacolins have been identified as inhibitors of an enzyme involved
in the endogenous biosynthesis of cholesterol, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl
coenzymeA (HMG-CoA) reductase. One of the monacolins,
monacolin K, is identical to lovastatin. Lovastatin is a common cholesterol-
lowering statin drug that is manufactured by Merck and Co.,
Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania (Heber et al., 1999; Schulz, Hänsel,
and Tyler, 2001).


Cholestin™ capsules are manufactured by Pharmanex, a subsidiary
of Nu Skin Enterprises, Provo, Utah. The capsules contained 600
mg red yeast rice product, including 0.4 percent monacolins by
weight (RY-2), approximately half of which (0.2 percent) were monacolin
K. Recent court action by Merck, due to the similarity of
monacolin K in Cholestin to lovastatin (mevinolin) in Mevacor®,
blocked the sale of Cholestin as originally formulated in the United
States. The original Cholestin, containing red yeast rice, is still available
in other countries. The new U.S. formulation includes, as a substitute,
a beeswax extract called policosanol. According to Pharmanex,
policosanol is a safe and effective ingredient that successfully
maintains existing normal cholesterol levels, although the new formulation
has not been tested clinically. Each capsule of Cholestin
sold in the United States now contains 15 mg policosanol (beeswax
extract 5:1).


 
Monascus purpureus Went. yeast is called Xue-zhi-kang in Chinese.
The Xue-zhi-kang product (RY-1) produced by Wei-Xin Company
(China) delivered a daily dose of 1.2 g red yeast rice containing
13.5 mg total monacolins.
The red yeast rice product called Zhitai, produced by WBL Peking
University Biotech Co. Ltd. (China) delivered 10-13 mg total monacolins
in a 5 g daily dose. According to a spokesperson from Pharmanex,
the former two products were prototypes studied in the development of
the original Cholestin.



Hyperlipidemia (Elevated Blood Lipid Levels)

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial included 83
subjects with slightly elevated cholesterol (total serum cholesterol
204 to 338 mg/dl, LDL cholesterol 128 to 277 mg/dl, triacylglycerol
55 to 246 mg/dl, and HDL cholesterol 30 to 95 mg/dl). Participants
received either 2.4 g red yeast rice (Cholestin) or placebo for 12
weeks and were put on the American Heart Association’s Step I diet.
After eight and twelve weeks, total serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol
measurements in the treatment group decreased significantly
from baseline and in comparison to placebo. The reduction in total
cholesterol in the treatment group after 12 weeks compared with
baseline was roughly 40 mg/dl. Triacylglycerol levels also decreased
at week 8 in comparison to placebo, and at weeks 8 and 12 in comparison
to baseline. HDL cholesterol levels did not alter significantly in
either group (Heber et al., 1999).