RED YEAST RICE

Lentil Soup With Red Yeast Rice

2012-01-18T20:39:00.000-08:00

Lentil Soup With Red Yeast Rice

Red Yeast Rice Ingredients

1 cup lentils
2 beef bouillon
4 cups water
2 stalks celery
1 onion (chopped)
1-2 tbsps minced garlic
2 carrots (sliced)
4-5 sprigs fresh parsley
1 cup yeast (red, rice)
2 cups water
salt
pepper

Red Yeast Rice Instructions:
Rinse and then soak the lentils in enough water to cover for at least 20 minutes. Drain off any rinse.
2.Put lentils into a saucepan with water for cooking.
3.Add the other ingredients, except for the parsley, to the sauce pan.
4.Cook until the lentils are tender which takes about 30 minutes.
5.Cool and put into a blender to combine.
6.Add fresh parsley and blend.
7.Add water to taste.
8.Rinse red yeast rice and cook in a saucepan with 2 cups water for about 25 minutes.
9.Serve over red yeast rice.

Pan-Fried Tofu with Red Yeast Rice Paste

2012-01-11T20:26:00.000-08:00

Pan-Fried Tofu with Red Yeast Rice Paste
Red Yeast Rice Ingredients:
* 2 pieces of bean curd (cut into thick rectangles)

Seasonings

* 1 tablespoon of sugar
* 1 tablespoon of red yeast rice paste

Red Yeast Rice Instructions

* Pan-fry tofu, dish out and set on a plate.
* Stir-fry red yeast rice paste + sugar.
* Add some water, cover the pan and simmer for a while.
* Then scoop the red yeast rice sauce over the fried tofu.

Update on Red Yeast Rice

2012-01-01T19:56:00.000-08:00

Update on Red Yeast Rice
Red yeast rice in the United States

Thanks to the FDA and the federal courts, there has been a lot of confusion about the red yeast rice products available in the United States. In the late 1990s, studies showed that this over-the-counter dietary supplement was quite effective at reducing cholesterol levels, mainly because one of the natural ingredients in red yeast rice turned out to be lovastatin. (Statins were originally derived from yeast products; the lovastatin in red yeast rice is "natural.") When the FDA figured out that red yeast rice contained a regulated substance, an effective drug protected under patent law, it banned red yeast rice products, unless manufacturers took extra steps to remove the lovastatin.

The question of whether the red yeast rice products available in the United States over the past decade have actually been allowed to contain lovastatin or not is remarkably complex. The bottom line is that for the past several years, lovastatin-containing red yeast rice is clearly illegal. You can read about lovastatin, red yeast rice and the feds here. Nonetheless, as recently as the summer of 2007, the FDA issued "warnings" that certain over-the-counter red yeast riceproducts from at least two companies still contained lovastatin and announced that it was taking immediate steps to remove these illegal products from the shelves.
should-you-take-red-yeast-rice ?

Does Red Yeast Rice Extract Lower Your Cholesterol?

2011-08-01T19:54:00.000-07:00

Does Red Yeast Rice Extract Lower Your Cholesterol?

Red yeast rice extract is an Asian product developed by fermenting rice with the organism Monascus purpureus, otherwise known as red yeast. This product is used as a coloring and flavoring agent in many Asian foods. Although red yeast fermented rice extract has gained popularity over the years because of its ability to lower cholesterol levels, it has been the center of a huge legal and regulatory debate between the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the manufacturers of red rice fermented yeast extract.

When red rice fermented yeast extract supplements first hit the pharmacy shelves, they were highly effective. This was because of the red rice fermentation process, during which a by-product, known as monacolin K, was produced. Monacolin K is structurally and functionally similar to lovastatin (Mevacor®), a cholesterol-lowering medication that is only available by prescription in most countries. Like lovastatin, as well as other statins, red rice yeast extract positively affected all aspects of the lipid profile: LDL, HDL, and triglycerides . For instance, most studies have shown that around 1,200-2,400 mg of red rice yeast extract (or 2400-4800 mg of monacolin K component) lowers LDL on an average of 23 percent, lowers triglycerides by about 25 percent, and raises HDL by 14 percent. Once lovastatin was discovered as the major ingredient of red rice fermented yeast extract, the FDA became interested and wanted to have tighter regulation over what they considered to be a drug.

The FDA regulates foods, nutritional supplements, and drugs differently. The nutraceutical companies manufacturing red yeast rice extract were arguing that it was a nutritional supplement, which is not subject to the stringent regulation that drugs are held to. The FDA, on the other hand, contended that since red yeast rice extract contained a prescription drug in it (lovastatin), it should be categorized as a drug and be more tightly regulated. Through many beginning in 2000, the FDA has won this position and the formulation of red yeast fermented rice extract was subsequently changed.

So, does red yeast rice extract work? Yes, if it is fermented in such a way that results in the byproduct monacolin K (lovastatin). Do the currently available red yeast fermented rice extract supplements work? Because of the judgment in favor of the FDA to consider the monacolin K (lovastatin) component of red yeast rice extract a drug, nutraceutical companies have had to change the way the red yeast rice is fermented.

As a result, these supplements contain very minute, if any, amounts of the cholesterol-lowering drug, lovastatin. Because of this, the red yeast rice supplements you see on the shelves would not be effective and should not be expected to significantly lower cholesterol levels.
red-yeast-rice-lowers-cholesterol

Red Yeast Rice Lowers Cholesterol

2010-02-15T19:51:00.000-08:00

Red Yeast Rice Lowers Cholesterol
Research just published concludes a nonprescription, natural supplement -- red yeast rice -- has significant cholesterol-lowering effects. Red yeast rice, a bright reddish purple fermented rice cultivated with the mold Monascus purpureus, has been used in Chinese medicine for more than a millennium to treat heart ills and other health problems.

David Becker, MD, and his research team studied 62 patients whose super high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol put them at risk for heart attack or stroke. Why weren't these people already on statin drugs, the supposedly miraculous cholesterol lowering "wonder" drugs? All of them had a history of trying those medications but had to stop them because of severe side effects often reported by statin users, including muscle pain and weakness.

Half of the research subjects were given 1,800 mg of red yeast rice twice a day for 24 weeks and the other half took inactive placebo pills. After the first 12 weeks, the study participants taking red yeast rice showed a significant improvement in their levels of artery-clogging LDL cholesterol. In fact, on average their cholesterol dropped an amazing 43 points. The placebo group had an LDL drop of only 11 points. After 24 weeks, there was a 35 point drop in "bad" cholesterol levels in the red yeast rice group. The researchers think this second cholesterol measurement showed less of a decrease than the earlier tests simply because some of the study participants may have stopped taking their supplements.

Another important finding: the "good" cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein (HDL) count, remained the same in both groups. This indicates red rice yeast only lowers the artery damaging type of cholesterol. What's more, the red yeast rice did not produce the common side effects like elevated liver enzymes and weakness that are quite common in people taking prescription statin drugs.

In their Annals of Internal Medicine paper, the researchers concluded that while more research is needed, red yeast rice supplements may provide an alternative treatment for people with high cholesterol levels who cannot take statin drugs because of the medications' side effects.

Red yeast rice may not be totally side effect free. But side effects for the most part appear to be mild. For example, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Medline information web site reports red yeast rice can cause mild headache and abdominal discomfort and should not be used by people with liver disease. On the other hand, reports of serious side effects from statins have continued to mount over the past few years. They range from muscle pain so severe it interferes with daily activities to serious liver damage. Moreover, as previously reported in NaturalNews, the drugs have been linked to an increase in prostate cancer in overweight men and to the development of serious eye problems, too

So why is red yeast rice rarely -- if ever -- prescribed while statin drugs are being taken by 11 million to 30 million Americans? Because Big Pharma has consistently fought the concept that a natural, low cost, over-the-counter product could work as well as prescription statin medications (and most likely be far safer, too). According to the NIH web site, there has been an ongoing and protracted legal and industrial dispute about whether red yeast rice is a drug or a dietary supplement involving the manufacturers of red yeast supplements, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the pharmaceutical industry -- specifically Big Pharma producers of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor prescription drugs, the official name for statins.

red-yeast-rice-monascus-purpureus

Red Yeast Rice -3

2010-02-15T19:42:00.000-08:00

Red Yeast Rice -3
Red yeast rice is the product of yeast ( Monascus purpureus ) grown on rice, and is served as a dietary staple in some Asian countries. It contains several compounds collectively known as monacolins, substances known to inhibit cholesterol synthesis. One of these, "monacolin K," is a potent inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, and is also known as mevinolin or lovastatin (Mevacor®, a drug produced by Merck & Co., Inc).

Red yeast rice extract has been sold as a natural cholesterol-lowering agent in over the counter supplements, such as Cholestin TM (Pharmanex, Inc). However, there has been legal and industrial dispute as to whether red yeast rice is a drug or a dietary supplement, involving the manufacturer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the pharmaceutical industry (particularly producers of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor prescription drugs or "statins").

The use of red yeast rice in China was first documented in the Tang Dynasty in 800 A.D. A detailed description of its manufacture is found in the ancient Chinese pharmacopoeia, Ben Cao Gang Mu-Dan Shi Bu Yi, published during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In this text, red yeast rice is proposed to be a mild aid for gastric problems (indigestion, diarrhea), blood circulation, and spleen and stomach health. Red yeast rice in a dried, powdered form is called Zhi Tai. When extracted with alcohol it is called Xue Zhi Kang.
Red Yeast Rice..

what-is-present-status-of-red-yeast

Should You Take Red Yeast Rice?

2010-02-15T19:40:00.000-08:00

Should You Take Red Yeast Rice?
Taking Red Yeast Rice would seem to be at least a reasonable consideration if you are looking for a non-prescription means of cholesterol lowering. However, what you would really be doing is taking variable amounts of certain statin-like substances. It is impossible to tell, from manufacturer to manufacturer, or even from bottle to bottle, what you are really buying.

If you want to reduce your cholesterol without losing your shirt to the big drug companies, ask your doctor about generic statin drugs. They're readily available, and may even be cheaper than Red Yeast Rice -- and as a bonus, the dosage will actually be known, and can be controlled and adjusted to optimize your results.
modern-medicine-of-red-yeast-rice

The Controversy and Confusion Over Red Yeast Rice

2010-02-15T19:38:00.000-08:00

The Controversy and Confusion Over Red Yeast Rice

The controversy began in 1999, shortly after clinical trials first showed that Red Yeast Rice could indeed significantly lower cholesterol levels. At that time it came to the attention of the FDA that RYR's effectiveness is related to the fact that it contains a naturally-occurring form of the statin drug lovastatin (marketed as Mevacor). So the FDA ruled that Red Yeast Rice was a regulable drug, and thus ordered it removed it from the shelves.

This FDA decision was initially overruled by the District Court of Utah in 1999, but in 2000 the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with the FDA that Red Yeast Rice could be regulated. So RYR could still be sold legally in the U.S., but only if steps were taken in its manufacturing process to remove the lovastatin (presumably eliminating its effectiveness).

Then, in 2007, the FDA found that at least some Red Yeast Rice in the U.S. still contained lovastatin, and (after issuing a formal FDA Consumer Safety Alert) took further steps to purge the "tainted" products from the shelves.

Currently, as far as the FDA is concerned, the Red Yeast Rice that you can buy in the U.S. contains no lovastatin. But otherwise, RYR is still considered a dietary supplement, so its formulation and content is still not regulated -- and it is very difficult if not impossible to find out what it does contain. (This is the case with any unregulated dietary supplement.)
red-yeast-rice-monascus-purpureus.

How safe are red yeast rice products?

2009-03-04T22:33:00.000-08:00

How safe are red yeast rice products?

Animal studies have been conducted in China using high doses of red yeast rice products. No damage to the kidneys, liver, or other organs were demonstrated in these studies.

Human trials in China and in the United States reported only rare and minor side effects of heartburn or indigestion with the use red yeast rice products. No liver, kidney, or muscle toxicity has been reported.

However, human trials in the United States and China have generally lasted only a few weeks to a few months. Thus, conclusive proof of long term safety (over a period of many years) will have to await further data (such as from data received after the products have been marketed or long-term clinical trials).

Scientists conducting the studies generally believe that red yeast rice is safe in the long-term since it has been a food staple for thousands of years in Asian countries without reports of toxicity.
They attribute the safety of red yeast rice products to the process of preparation that does not involve the isolation and concentration of a single ingredient. Although it is true that isolation and
concentration enhance the potency of a single ingredient, these factors also increase the risk of side effects.

red-yeast-rice-monascus-purpureus

What are the different preparations of red yeast rice?

2009-03-04T22:32:00.000-08:00

What are the different preparations of red yeast rice?

There are three major preparations of red yeast rice:

1. Zhitai,
2. Cholestin® or Hypocol™, and
3. Xuezhikang.

Zhitai

Zhitai is produced by the fermentation of a mixture of different strains of Monascus purpureus on whole grain rice. Zhitai contains mainly rice and yeast, but is mostly rice by weight.

Cholestin® or HypoCol™

Cholestin® or HypoCol™ is produced by the fermentation of selected strains of Monascus purpureus, using a proprietary process that produces a certain concentration of monacolin K (monacolin K is lovastatin, which is believed to be the major cholesterol-lowering ingredient).

Xuezhikang

Xuezhikang is produced by mixing the rice and red yeast with alcohol and then processing it to remove most of the rice gluten. Xuezhikang contains 40% more cholesterol-lowering ingredients than Cholestin® or Hypocol™.

Red yeast rice....

how-safe-are-red-yeast-rice-products

What is the present status of red yeast rice?

2009-03-04T22:30:00.000-08:00

What is the present status of red yeast rice?

Small scale studies using pharmaceutical-grade red yeast rice have continued to demonstrate efficacy and safety. However, in the United States it is no longer legal to sell supplements containing red yeast rice, and the active ingredients of red yeast rice have been removed from Cholestin marketed in the United States. (Hypocol, another product containing red yeast rice is no longer being sold in the United States.)

The reasons the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed red yeast rice from the market in the United States were several.

* First, statin drugs are associated with muscle and kidney injury when used alone or combined with other medications. There is concern that patients who already take statin drugs with or without these other medications may increase their risk of muscle or kidney injury.

* Second, the FDA considers the products containing red yeast rice to be new, unapproved drugs for which marketing violates the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

what-are-different-preparations-of-red.

Modern Medicine of Red Yeast Rice

2009-03-04T22:26:00.000-08:00

Modern Medicine of Red Yeast Rice

Red yeast rice when produced using the 'Went' strain of Monascus purpureus contains significant quantites of the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor lovastatin which is also known as mevinolin, a naturally-occurring statin. It is sold as an over the counter dietary supplement for controlling cholesterol . There is strong scientific evidence for its effect in lowering blood levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein/LDL ("bad cholesterol"), and triglyceride levels . Because an approved drug is identical to the molecule it is therefore regulated as a drug by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In 1998, the FDA tried to ban a product (Cholestin) containing red yeast rice extract but the U.S. district court in Utah allowed the product to be sold without restriction. This was reversed on appeal.

Cholestin as a product continues to be marketed but no longer contains red yeast rice (RYR). Other companies sell red yeast rice products but most of them use a different strain of yeast or different growing conditions, resulting in RYR with a negligible statin content. The labeling on
these new products often says nothing about cholesterol lowering. As late as August 2007, FDA noted supplements being sold containing significant lovastatin levels.(FDA, 2007)

In 2006 Liu et al published a meta-analysis of clinical trials . The article cited 93 published,
controlled clinical trials (91 published in Chinese). Total cholesterol decreased by 35 mg/dl, LDL-cholesterol by 28 mg/dl, triglycerides by 35 mg/dl, and HDL-cholesterol increased by 6 mg/dl. Zhao et al reported on a four-year trial in people with diabetes (J Cardio Pharmacol 2007;49:81-84). There was a 40-50% reduction in cardio events and cardio deaths in the treated group. Ye et al reported on a four-year trial in elderly Chinese patients with heart
disease (J Am Geriatr Soc 2007;55:1015-22). Deaths were down 32%.

There is at least one report in the literature of a statin-like myopathy caused by red yeast rice (Mueller PS. Ann Intern Med 2006;145:474-5).

An article in the June 15, 2008, issue of the American Journal of Cardiology found that red yeast rice may provide benefits beyond those provided by statins. The researchers reported that the benefits seemed to exceed those reported with lovastatin alone.

ConsumerLab.com found large variation in the active compounds between red yeast rice supplements, and also found that some of them were contaminated with citrinin, a nephrotoxic mycotoxin.Evidence about the side effects of red yeast rice is limited, but it may have similar side effects to the drug lovastatin, which include kidney problems and other side effects.Regular medical monitoring is needed to detect such effects.

what-is-present-status-of-red-yeast.

Culinary of Red Yeast Rice

2009-03-04T22:25:00.000-08:00

Culinary of Red Yeast Rice

The dried grain of red yeast rice can be prepared and eaten in the same manner as white rice--a common practice among Asians. It can also be added to other foods.

Red yeast rice is used to colour a wide variety of food products, including pickled tofu, red rice vinegar, char siu, Peking Duck, and Chinese pastries that require red food colouring. It is also
traditionally used in the production of several types of Chinese wine, Japanese sake (akaisake), and Korean rice wine (hongju), imparting a reddish colour to these wines.

Although used mainly for its colour in cuisine, red yeast rice imparts a subtle but pleasant taste to food and is commonly used in the cuisine of Fujian regions of China.
modern-medicine-of-red-yeast-rice.

Production of Red Yeast Rice

2009-03-04T22:23:00.000-08:00

Production of Red Yeast Rice

Red yeast rice is produced by cultivating Monascus purpureus on polished rice. The rice is first soaked in water until the grains are fully saturated. The raw soaked rice can then either be directly inoculated, or steamed for the purpose of sterilizing and cooking the grains prior to inoculation. Inoculation is done by mixing M. purpureus spores or powdered red yeast rice together with the processed rice. The mix is then incubated in an environment around room temperature for 3–6 days. During this period of time, the rice should be fully cultured with M. purpureus, with each rice grain turning bright red in its core and reddish purple on the outside.

The fully cultured red yeast rice is then either sold as the dried grain, or cooked and pasteurized to be sold as a wet paste, or dried and pulverized to be sold as a fine powder. China is the world's largest producer of red yeast rice.

Due to the low cost of chemical dyes, some producers of red yeast rice have tried to adulterate their products with red dye #2 Sudan Red G.
Red Yeast Rice..
red-yeast-rice-monascus-purpureus

Red yeast rice (Monascus purpureus)

2009-03-04T22:17:00.001-08:00

Red yeast rice (Monascus purpureus)

Background

Red yeast rice is the product of yeast ( Monascus purpureus ) grown on rice, and is served as a dietary staple in some Asian countries.
It contains several compounds collectively known as monacolins, substances known to inhibit cholesterol synthesis. One of these, "monacolin K," is a potent inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, and is also known as mevinolin or lovastatin (Mevacor?, a drug produced by Merck & Co., Inc).

Red yeast rice extract has been sold as a natural cholesterol-lowering agent in over the counter supplements, such as Cholestin TM (Pharmanex, Inc). However, there has been legal and industrial dispute as to whether red yeast rice is a drug or a dietary supplement, involving the manufacturer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the pharmaceutical industry
(particularly producers of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor prescription drugs or "statins").

The use of red yeast rice in China was first documented in the Tang Dynasty in 800 A.D. A detailed description of its manufacture is found in the ancient Chinese pharmacopoeia, Ben Cao Gang Mu-Dan Shi Bu Yi, published during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Red yeast rice is proposed to be a mild aid for gastric problems (indigestion, diarrhea), blood circulation, and spleen and stomach health. Red yeast rice in a dried, powdered form is called Zhi Tai. When extracted with alcohol it is called Xue Zhi Kang.

Synonyms of Red Yeast Rice

Alkaloids, angkak, anka, ankaflavin, Asian traditional fermentation foodstuff, astaxanthin, beni-koju, ben-koji, Chinese red yeast rice, citrinin, CRYR, dehydromonacolin K, dietary red yeast, dihydromeyinolin, dihydromonacolin K, dihydromonacolin L, DSM1379, DSM1603, ergosterol, flavonoids, GABA, glycosides, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, hon-chi, hong qu, hongqu, hung-chu, hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, KCCM11832, koji, linoleic acid, lovastatin, M9011, mevinolin, monacolin hyroxyacid, monacolin J, monacolin K, monacolin K (hydroxyl acid form), monacolin L, monacolin M, monacolin X, Monascaceae (yeast family),
monascopyridine A, monascopyridine B, monascopyridine C, monascopyridine D, monascorubramine, monascorubrin, Monascus , Monascus anka , Monascus purpureus fermentate, Monascus purpureus HM105, Monascus purpureus NTU568, Monascus purpureus Went rice, Monascus ruber , oleic acid, orange anka pigment, palmitoleic acid, Phaffia rhodozyma , red fermented rice, red koji, red leaven, red mould rice, red rice, red rice yeast, red yeast, red yeast rice extract, rice, RICE products, rubropunctamine, rubropunctatin, RYR, RYRE, saponins, statins, stearic acid, xuezhikang, Xue Zhi Kang, yellow anka pigment, zhitai, Zhi Tai.
Red Yeast Rice

culinary-of-red-yeast-rice.

Red yeast rice (Monascus purpureus)

2009-03-04T22:17:00.000-08:00

Red yeast rice (Monascus purpureus)

Background

Red yeast rice is the product of yeast ( Monascus purpureus ) grown on rice, and is served as a dietary staple in some Asian countries.
It contains several compounds collectively known as monacolins, substances known to inhibit cholesterol synthesis. One of these, "monacolin K," is a potent inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, and is also known as mevinolin or lovastatin (Mevacor?, a drug produced by Merck & Co., Inc).

Red yeast rice extract has been sold as a natural cholesterol-lowering agent in over the counter supplements, such as Cholestin TM (Pharmanex, Inc). However, there has been legal and industrial dispute as to whether red yeast rice is a drug or a dietary supplement, involving the manufacturer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the pharmaceutical industry
(particularly producers of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor prescription drugs or "statins").

The use of red yeast rice in China was first documented in the Tang Dynasty in 800 A.D. A detailed description of its manufacture is found in the ancient Chinese pharmacopoeia, Ben Cao Gang Mu-Dan Shi Bu Yi, published during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Red yeast rice is proposed to be a mild aid for gastric problems (indigestion, diarrhea), blood circulation, and spleen and stomach health. Red yeast rice in a dried, powdered form is called Zhi Tai. When extracted with alcohol it is called Xue Zhi Kang.

Synonyms of Red Yeast Rice

Alkaloids, angkak, anka, ankaflavin, Asian traditional fermentation foodstuff, astaxanthin, beni-koju, ben-koji, Chinese red yeast rice, citrinin, CRYR, dehydromonacolin K, dietary red yeast, dihydromeyinolin, dihydromonacolin K, dihydromonacolin L, DSM1379, DSM1603, ergosterol, flavonoids, GABA, glycosides, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, hon-chi, hong qu, hongqu, hung-chu, hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, KCCM11832, koji, linoleic acid, lovastatin, M9011, mevinolin, monacolin hyroxyacid, monacolin J, monacolin K, monacolin K (hydroxyl acid form), monacolin L, monacolin M, monacolin X, Monascaceae (yeast family),
monascopyridine A, monascopyridine B, monascopyridine C, monascopyridine D, monascorubramine, monascorubrin, Monascus , Monascus anka , Monascus purpureus fermentate, Monascus purpureus HM105, Monascus purpureus NTU568, Monascus purpureus Went rice, Monascus ruber , oleic acid, orange anka pigment, palmitoleic acid,

Phaffia rhodozyma , red fermented rice, red koji, red leaven, red mould rice, red rice, red rice yeast, red yeast, red yeast rice extract, rice, RICE products, rubropunctamine, rubropunctatin, RYR, RYRE, saponins, statins, stearic acid, xuezhikang, Xue Zhi Kang, yellow anka pigment, zhitai, Zhi Tai.

What is Red Yeast Rice?

2009-01-24T07:10:00.000-08:00

What is Red Yeast Rice?

Monascus purpureus or Hong Qu, red rice, red yeast rice

Red yeast rice is a substance made by fermenting a type of red yeast called Monascus purpureus over rice.
Red yeast rice has been used in China as a preservative, spice, and food coloring. It's used to give Peking duck its characteristic red color and can also be an ingredient in fish sauce, fish paste, and
rice wine. Red yeast rice is used in traditional Chinese medicine as a remedy for poor circulation, indigestion, and diarrhea.
Red yeast rice contains naturally-occurring substances called monacolins. Monocolins, particularly one called lovastatin, is believed to be converted in the body to a substance that inhibits HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme that triggers cholesterol production.

This is the way the popular statin drugs work.
Because of this action, red yeast rice products containing a higher concentration of monocolins have been developed and marketed as a natural product to lower cholesterol.
The problem is that the primary ingredient in these supplements, lovastatin, is also the active pharmaceutical ingredient in prescription drugs for high cholesterol such as Mevacor. In fact,
lovastatin was originally derived from another type of red yeast called Monascus ruber.

When the FDA discovered that red yeast rice contained a substance found in prescription drugs, it banned red yeast rice products containing lovastatin. In August, 2007, the FDA issued a warning that several red yeast rice products still contained lovastatin. The manufacturers of these products have since recalled these products.

Regulation

Red yeast rice is classified as a dietary supplement by the FDA. Because of its similarity to the statin drugs, there is an ongoing legal debate about whether red yeast rice should be reclassified as a prescription drug rather than a dietary supplement.

Why People Use Red Yeast Rice

To Lower Cholesterol and Triglycerides
Since red yeast rice products can no longer contain lovastatin, it's unclear whether red yeast products currently on the market would have any effect on cholesterol levels.

What is the Evidence for Red Yeast Rice?

There have only been a few well-designed studies on red yeast rice in humans.
For example, a study conducted by the UCLA School of Medicine examined the use of red yeast rice in 83 people with high cholesterol.
Subjects were randomized to receive 2.4 grams a day red yeast rice or placebo, and they were told to consume a 30% fat diet (with no more than 10% of this from saturated fat and less than 300 mg cholesterol a day).
After the 12 week treatment period, there was a significant reduction in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, compared with placebo. HDL cholesterol was not affected in
this study.

Safety

Red yeast rice products have been found to contain citrinin, a toxic by-product of the fermentation process.
Pregnant or nursing women and children should not use red yeast rice.
People with liver disease or at risk for liver disease should not use red yeast rice, as red yeast rice may impair liver function.People with acute infections, kidney disease, or who have had an
organ transplant should not use red yeast rice.
People taking red yeast rice who develop muscle pain or tenderness should discontinue the product immediately and check with their doctor.

RED YEAST RICE

2009-01-24T07:02:00.000-08:00

RED YEAST RICE (Monascus purpureus)

Extracts of Chinese red yeast rice (RYR, a traditional dietary seasoning of Monascus purpureus) contains several active ingredients including lovastatin, and several trials of its possible lipid-lowering effects have been conducted. This meta-analysis assesses the effectiveness and safety of RYR preparations on lipid modification in primary hyperlipidemia. Included randomized
controlled trials testing RYR preparation, compared with placebo, no treatment, statins, or other active lipid-lowering agents in people with hyperlipidemia through searching PubMed, CBMdisk, TCMLARS, the Cochrane Library, and AMED up to December 2004. Ninety-three randomized trials (9625 participants) were included and three Red Yeast Rice preparations (Cholestin, Xuezhikang and Zhibituo) were tested. The methodological quality of trial reports was generally low in terms of generation of the allocation sequence, allocation concealment, blinding, and intention-to-treat.

The combined results showed significant reduction of serum total cholesterol levels (weighted
mean difference -0.91 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval -1.12 to -0.71), triglycerides levels (-0.41 mmol/L, -0.6 to -0.22), and LDL-cholesterol levels (-0.73 mmol/L, -1.02 to -0.043), and increase of HDL-cholesterol levels (0.15 mmol/L, 0.09 to 0.22) by Red Yeast Rice treatment compared with placebo. The lipid modification effects appeared to be similar to pravastatin, simvastatin, lovastatin, atorvastatin, or fluvastatin. Compared with non-statin lipid lowering agents, RYR preparations appeared superior to nicotinate and fish oils, but equal to or less effective than fenofibrate and gemfibrozil. No significant difference in lipid profile was found
between Xuezhikang and Zhibituo. RYR preparations were associated with non-serious adverse effects such as dizziness and gastrointestinal discomfort. Current evidence shows short-term
beneficial effects of RYR preparations on lipid modification. More rigorous trials are needed, and long-term effects and safety should be investigated if Red Yeast Rice preparations are to be recommended as one of the alternative treatments for primary hyperlipidemia.