Botanical name: Monascus purpureus
Parts used and where grown
This substance, native to China, is a fermentation by-product of cooked non-glutinous rice on which red yeast has been
grown.1 The dried, powdered red yeast rice is used medicinally.
Red yeast rice has been
used in connection with the following conditions (refer to the
individual health concern for complete information):
Historical or traditional use (may
or may not be supported by scientific studies)
Since 800 A.D., red yeast rice has been employed by the Chinese as both a food and a
medicinal agent. Its therapeutic benefits as both a promoter of blood circulation and a
digestive stimulant were first noted in the traditional Chinese pharmacopoeia, Ben Cao
Gang Mu-Dan Shi Bu Yi, during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644).2
Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine
use red yeast rice to treat abdominal pain due to stagnant blood and dysentery, as well as
external and internal trauma.3 In addition to its therapeutic applications, red
yeast rice has been used for centuries as a flavor enhancer, a food preservative, and a base
for a Taiwanese alcoholic rice-wine beverage.4 5
Active constituents
In addition to rice starch, protein, fiber,
sterols, and fatty acids, red yeast rice contains numerous active constituents, including
monacolin K, dihydromonacolin, and monacolin I to VI.
Researchers have determined that one of the ingredients in red yeast rice, called monacolin
K, inhibits the production of cholesterol by
stopping the action of a key enzyme in the liver (e.g., HMG-CoA reductase) that is responsible
for manufacturing cholesterol.6 The drug lovastatin (Mevacor®) acts in a similar fashion
to this red yeast rice ingredient. However, the amount per volume of monacolin K in red yeast
rice is small (0.2% per 5 mg) when compared to the 20–40 mg of lovastatin available as a
prescription drug.7 This has prompted researchers to suggest that red yeast rice
may have other ingredients, such as sterols, that might also contribute to lowering
cholesterol.
Along with its evaluation in animal trials,8 red yeast rice has been clinically
investigated as a therapy for reducing
cholesterol in two human trials. In one trial, both men and women taking 1.2 grams
(approximately 13.5 mg total monacolins) of a concentrated red yeast rice extract per day for
two months had significant decreases in serum cholesterol levels.9 In addition,
people taking red yeast rice had a significant increase in HDL (“good”)
cholesterol and a decrease in LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Elevated triglycerides were also found to be lowered.
A double-blind trial at the UCLA School of Medicine determined that red yeast rice in the
amount of 2.4 grams per day (approximately 10 mg total monacolins) in capsules significantly
decreased total- and LDL-cholesterol levels in a sample of people with elevated cholesterol
after 12 weeks of therapy. Triglycerides were also reduced in those taking red yeast rice.
However, unlike the original study, HDL values did not increase
substantially.10
How much is usually taken?
The red yeast rice used in various studies was a proprietary product called
Cholestin®, which contains ten different monacolins. The amount of Cholestin used in
these studies was 1.2–2.4 grams (5–10 mg of monacolins) per day in divided amounts
for 8-12 weeks.11 12
Note: Cholestin has been banned in the United States, as a result of a lawsuit
alleging patent infringement.
Other red yeast rice products currently on the market differ from Cholestin in their
chemical makeup. None contain the full complement of ten monacolin compounds that are present
in Cholestin, and some contain a potentially toxic fermentation product called
citrinin.13 Despite these concerns, other red yeast rice products are being widely
used and anecdotal reports suggest that they have a similar safety and efficacy profile as
that of Cholestin.
Are there any side effects or interactions?
The Cholestin brand of red yeast rice has been generally well tolerated with possible
temporary mild side effects such as heartburn,
gas, and dizziness.14 This product should not be used by people with liver
disorders15 and its safety during
pregnancy has not been established. As in the case of medications that inhibit HMG-CoA, it
is advisable that people using red yeast rice products also supplement 30–60 mg of coenzyme Q10 daily.
There is one case report of muscle weakness and joint pain occurring in a man who was
taking red yeast rice.16 Because the man was also taking several prescription
drugs, it was not clear whether the symptoms were caused by red yeast rice. The report should
be taken seriously, however, since muscle problems are common side effects of prescription HMG
CoA-reductase inhibitors.
Are there any drug
interactions?
Certain medicines may interact with red yeast rice. Refer to drug interactions for a list of those medicines.
References:1. Burnham TH, Sjweain SL, Short RM (eds). Monascus. In: The Review
of Natural Products. St. Louis, MO: Facts and Comparisons, 1997.
2. Burnham TH, Sjweain SL, Short RM (eds). Monascus. In: The Review
of Natural Products. St. Louis, MO: Facts and Comparisons, 1997.
3. Hsu Hong-Yen. Oriental Materia Medica. Long Beach, CA:
Oriental Healing Arts Institute, 1986, 731–2.
4. Burnham TH, Sjweain SL, Short RM (eds). Monascus. In: The Review
of Natural Products. St. Louis, MO: Facts and Comparisons, 1997.
5. Hsu Hong-Yen. Oriental Materia Medica. Long Beach, CA:
Oriental Healing Arts Institute, 1986, 731–2.
6. Heber D, Yip I, Ashley JM, et al. Cholesterol-lowering effects of a
proprietary Chinese red-yeast-rice dietary supplement. Am J Clin Nutr
1999;69:231–6.
7. Heber D, Yip I, Ashley JM, et al. Cholesterol-lowering effects of a
proprietary Chinese red-yeast-rice dietary supplement. Am J Clin Nutr
1999;69:231–6.
8. Li C, Zhu Y, Wang Y, et al. Monascus purpureus-fermented rice
(red yeast rice): a natural food product that lowers blood cholesterol in animal models of
hypercholesterolemia. Nutr Res 1998;18:71–81.
9. Wang J, Lu Z, Chi J, et al. Multicenter clinical trial of the serum
lipid-lowering effects of a Monascus purpureus (red yeast) rice preparation from
traditional Chinese medicine. Curr Ther Res 1997;58:964–77.
10. Heber D, Yip I, Ashley JM, et al. Cholesterol-lowering effects of a
proprietary Chinese red-yeast-rice dietary supplement. Am J Clin Nutr
1999;69:231–6.
11. Heber D, Yip I, Ashley JM, et al. Cholesterol-lowering effects of a
proprietary Chinese red-yeast-rice dietary supplement. Am J Clin Nutr
1999;69:231–6.
12. Wang J, Lu Z, Chi J, et al. Multicenter clinical trial of the serum
lipid-lowering effects of a Monascus purpureus (red yeast) rice preparation from
traditional Chinese medicine. Curr Ther Res 1997;58:964–77.
13. Heber D, Lembertas A, Lu QY, et al. An analysis of nine proprietary
Chinese red yeast rice dietary supplements: implications of variability in chemical profile
and contents. J Altern Complement Med 2001;7:133-9.
14. Wang J, Lu Z, Chi J, et al. Multicenter clinical trial of the serum
lipid-lowering effects of a Monascus purpureus (red yeast) rice preparation from
traditional Chinese medicine. Curr Ther Res 1997;58:964–77.
15. Burnham TH, Sjweain SL, Short RM (eds). Monascus. In: The Review
of Natural Products. St. Louis, MO: Facts and Comparisons, 1997.
16. Smith DJ, Olive KE. Chinese red rice-induced myopathy. South Med
J 2003;96:1265–7.