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Two
studies involving red yeast rice were presented at the American Heart
Association's 39th Annual conference in 1999. The first
study, involving 187 people with mild to moderate elevations in total
cholesterol and LDL cholesterol revealed that treatment with red
yeast rice reduced total cholesterol by more than 16%, LDL
cholesterol by 21%, and triglycerides by 24%. HDL cholesterol also
increased by 14%. In the second study, elderly participants who were
given red yeast rice experienced significant reductions in total
cholesterol and LDL cholesterol compared to those who received
placebo. Both studies treated the participants with the supplement or
placebo for 8 weeks. (Heber D, Yip I, Ashley JM, Elashoff DA, Go VLW.
Cholesterol-lowering effects of a proprietary Chinese red-yeast-rice
dietary supplement. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999;69:231-236).
Clinical
Research Abstracts
Antiatherosclerotic efficacy of
policosanol, red yeast rice extract and astaxanthin in the rabbit.
Arzneimittelforschung.
2005;55(6):312-7
Setnikar
I,
Senin
P,
Rovati
LC.
Rotta
Research Laboratorium, Division of Rottapharm SPA, Monza, Italy.
ivo.setnikar@rotta.com
The
effects of policosanol (P), of extract of red yeast rice (rice
fermented with Monascus purpureus) (RYE) and of astaxanthin (A)
(constituents of Armolipid) were investigated in a model of
experimental atherosclerosis provoked in the rabbit by atherogenic
cholesterol-enriched feed (ACEF). P and RYE and their combination
were able to lower the increase of serum total cholesterol and of LDL
cholesterol elicited by 3-month feeding with ACEF. They also were
able to reduce the increase of blood malondialdehyde (MDA), a tracer
of lipid peroxidation by the free radicals released by ACEF. When
combined, the substances developed either additive or potentiated
effects, supporting the rationale of their combination. Remarkable
was the protective effect on lipid infiltration in the aortic wall
provoked by ACEF, which was reduced by P and by RYE and almost
completely prevented by the addition of A to the P-RYE combination.
The results support the rationale of a combination of P, RYE and A as
a useful food supplement in hyperlipemic patients.
PMID:
16032970 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Current concepts in optimum
nutrition for cardiovascular disease.
Prev
Cardiol.
2000 Spring;3(2):83-87
Platt
R.
Columbia
University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Arteriosclerosis
Research Center, Division of Cardiology, New York, NY 10032.
For
the past decade, nutritionists have focused on consensus guidelines
(National Cholesterol Education Program) to reduce dietary saturated
fatty acids, cholesterol, and excess body weight. However,
researchers are looking at other ways that diet may influence the
progression of cardiovascular disease, including lipoprotein
oxidation, thrombosis progression, cardiac arrhythmia, and medication
interaction. Some areas of investigation include the role of various
fatty acids and supplements-in the form of vitamins, minerals, herbs,
and functional foods-as well as traditional foods and diets from
other parts of the world. This review outlines some of the new and
relevant nutritional approaches including: specific fatty acids
(omega 3, monounsaturated and trans fatty acids), dietary supplements
(herbs, antioxidants, vitamins C and E, Coenzyme Q10, B vitamins and
homocysteine, L-arginine, Chinese red yeast rice, garlic, soy, flax
seed, and dietary fiber), food and drink (tea, nuts, plant-sterol and
stanol-ester-containing spreads, alcohol, and grapefruit juice), and
the Mediterranean diet. (c) 2000 by CHF, Inc.
PMID:
11834923 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Plasma clearance of lovastatin
versus chinese red yeast rice in healthy volunteers.
Li
Z,
Seeram
NP,
Lee
R,
Thames
G,
Minutti
C,
Wang
HJ,
Heber
D.
J
Altern Complement Med.
2005 Dec;11(6):1031-8
Center
for Human Nutrition, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of
California, Los Angeles, CA90095-1742, USA. zli@mednet.ucla.edu
OBJECTIVES:
It is now accepted that inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis is
effective in the primary and secondary prevention of heart disease.
However, the perceived side-effects on muscle and liver reduce the
general acceptance of statin drug therapy as well as compliance over
the long term, which is necessary for prevention efforts to be
successful. Chinese red yeast rice (CRYR) is a supplement containing
lovastatin (monacolin K), eight other monacolins, pigments, tannins,
and other phytochemicals. The authors previously reported on a
double- blind placebo-controlled trial of CRYR supplement in 80
individuals demonstrating a significant decrease in cholesterol
levels from 250 mg/dL to 210 mg/dL over 8 weeks independent of diet.
The current study compared the pharmacokinetics of CRYR with
lovastatin at the same bioeffective dose for lowering cholesterol.
METHODS: Eleven (11) healthy volunteers were randomized to a
crossover study taking 2400 mg CRYR or 20 mg of lovastatin. RESULTS:
The Cmax and area under the curve (AUC) of lovastatin were 22.42
ng/mL, and 80.47 higher than CRYR (p = 0.001 and 0.002,
respectively). The Cmax for lovastatin hydroxy-acid was 36.63 ng/mL
higher than the Cmax of CRYR hydroxy-acid (p = 0.001). The AUC of
lovastatin hydroxy-acid was 258.5 greater than that of CRYR (p =
0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that the effect of CRYR on
the cholesterol concentration might be caused by the additive and/or
synergistic effects of monacolin K with other monacolins and
substances in CRYR. It may lead to the ultimate development of a
botanical supplement based on CRYR.
PMID:
16398595 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] |
