title: Relationship between adiponectin and leptin, and blood lipids in hyperlipidemia patients treated with red yeast rice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to investigate the possible relationships between adiponectin and leptin, blood lipids such as total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG) as well as other clinical biomarkers in hyperlipidemia patients treated with red yeast rice.
  
  
  METHODS
  30 patients with primary hyperlipidemia were recruited, treated with red rice yeast capsules 600 mg twice a day for 8 weeks, and followed up for 4 weeks. The primary endpoint was the mean difference in LDL-C from baseline to week 8, while the secondary endpoints were the mean percentage changes from baseline of total cholesterol, TG, HDL-C, adiponectin, and leptin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At week 8, the decrease in LDL-C and total cholesterol was -38.11 ± 30.90 mg/dl (p < 0.0001) and -44.54 ± 27.46 mg/dl (p < 0.0001), respectively, and the increase in adiponectin was 35.83 ± 67.85 μg/ml (p = 0.017) as compared to baseline. Adiponectin also correlated positively with HDL-C (r2 = 0.39; p = 0.001). Serum leptin correlated negatively with TG (r2 = 0.19; p = 0.035), and there was a trend of correlation between leptin and HDL-C, but this was not statistically significant (r2 = 0.16; p = 0.052).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Red yeast rice can significantly increase adiponectin and can significantly lower LDL-C and total cholesterol levels. Adiponectin correlates positively with HDL-C while serum leptin correlates negatively with TG. Red yeast rice has a potentially protective effect in obesity-related and cardiovascular diseases.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-Ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ming-Shiou
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Jan
authors.forename: Min-Chien
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Chun-Che
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: James Cheng-Chung
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Hung-Che
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Shih
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D001688:Biological Products / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D057194:Intention to Treat Analysis; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D001688:Biological Products; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D004338:Drug Combinations; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D020738:Leptin; D008055:Lipids; C117343:red yeast rice; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D002784:Cholesterol; D008148:Lovastatin