title: Lipid-lowering efficacy of red yeast rice in a population intolerant to statins.
abstract: Chinese red yeast rice is a dietary supplement containing monacolins, unsaturated fatty acids, and phytosterols capable of lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Few studies have reported on its use in clinical practice or in statin-intolerant patients. We reviewed approximately 1,400 clinical charts and identified 25 patients treated with red yeast rice for > or =4 weeks. The patients were included if they had pre- and post-treatment lipid levels without simultaneous changes in other lipid-lowering medications. These patients had experienced myalgias (68%), gastrointestinal intolerance (16%), and/or elevated alanine aminotransferase levels (8%) with previous use of other lipid-lowering agents. The total cholesterol decreased 15% (-37 +/- 26 mg/dl, p <0.001) and LDL cholesterol decreased 21% (-35 +/- 25 mg/dl, p <0.001) during 74 +/- 39 days of treatment. Most (92%) patients tolerated the treatment, and many (56%) achieved their LDL cholesterol goal. In patients unable to tolerate daily statin use, the total cholesterol level decreased 13% (-33 +/- 10 mg/dl, p <0.001) and LDL cholesterol decreased 19% (-31 +/- 4 mg/dl, p <0.001). In conclusion, red yeast rice modestly decreased total and LDL cholesterol, was well-tolerated, and was an acceptable alternative in patients intolerant of other lipid-lowering medications.
authors.affiliation: University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
authors.forename: Carmelo V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Venero
authors.forename: Jose V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Venero
authors.forename: Dale C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Wortham
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001688:Biological Products / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D014280:Triglycerides; C117343:red yeast rice; D002784:Cholesterol