Red yeast rice lowers cholesterol in physicians - a double blind, placebo controlled randomized trial Tolerability of red yeast rice (2,400 mg twice daily) versus pravastatin (20 mg twice daily) in patients with previous statin intolerance. Relationship between Adiponectin and Leptin, and Blood Lipids in Hyperlipidemia Patients Treated with Red Yeast Rice Effect of Xuezhikang, an extract from red yeast Chinese rice, on coronary events in a Chinese population with previous myocardial infarction. Cholesterol-lowering effects of a proprietary Chinese red-yeast-rice dietary supplement. Effect of Red Yeast Rice and Coconut, Rice Bran or Sunflower Oil Combination in Rats on Hypercholesterolemic Diet. Effect of red yeast rice combined with antioxidants on lipid pattern, hs-CRP level, and endothelial function in moderately hypercholesterolemic subjects Clinical evidence of efficacy of red yeast rice and berberine in a large controlled study versus diet Effect of Hydroxymethyl Glutaryl Coenzyme A Reductase Inhibitor Therapy on High Sensitive C-Reactive Protein Levels Efficacy and Tolerability of a Nutraceutical Combination (Red Yeast Rice, Policosanols, and Berberine) in Patients with Low-Moderate Risk Hypercholesterolemia: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study Direct comparison of dietary portfolio vs statin on C-reactive protein Long-term effects of nutraceuticals (berberine, red yeast rice, policosanol) in elderly hypercholesterolemic patients Long-Term Effects of Xuezhikang on Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Patients with Previous Myocardial Infarction: Data from the Chinese Coronary Secondary Prevention Study (CCSPS) Improvement of hypertension, endothelial function and systemic inflammation following short-term supplementation with red beet (Beta vulgaris L.) juice: a randomized crossover pilot study Bergamot polyphenolic fraction enhances rosuvastatin-induced effect on LDL-cholesterol, LOX-1 expression and protein kinase B phosphorylation in patients with hyperlipidemia. C-reactive protein lowering with rosuvastatin in the METEOR study. Effects of a nutraceutical combination (berberine, red yeast rice and policosanols) on lipid levels and endothelial function randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Background In recent years , red yeast rice ( RYR ) supplements have been marketed aggressively as a natural way to lower cholesterol ; however , the large majority of commercially available products have not been studied according to current research st and ards . Methods In a double blind placebo controlled r and omized trial , 52 physicians and their spouses with a total cholesterol level of > 200 mg/dL were r and omly allocated to receive a RYR extract or placebo for 8 weeks . As a primary outcome measure , we compared the before-after difference in lipid levels between both groups . As secondary outcome measures we looked at side-effects , CK elevation and a change in cardiovascular risk . Results LDL ( low density lipoprotein ) cholesterol was lowered with 36 mg/dL ( 22 % ) and total cholesterol with 37 mg/dL ( 15 % ) in the intervention group . This result was statistically significant as compared to the control group , in which no reduction in total cholesterol and LDL was observed ( p < 0.001 ) . There was no marked difference in CK ( creatine kinase)-elevation or reported side-effects between study groups . In 5/31 participants in the intervention group , the lipid lowering effect result ed in lower cardiovascular risk as measured with SCORE ( Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation ) . Conclusions The RYR formulation under study was effective in lowering cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in this study population . RYR therapy may be an attractive and relatively well studied alternative in patients who are intolerant for statins or who have objections against pharmacological lipid lowering . However , consumers need to be warned that the actual content of commercially available preparations is not assured by governmental regulations , which raises effectiveness and safety issues . Trial registration Clinical trials.gov , nr : Currently , no consensus has been reached regarding the management of hyperlipidemia in patients who develop statin-associated myalgia ( SAM ) . Many statin-intolerant patients use alternative lipid-lowering therapies , including red yeast rice . The present trial evaluated the tolerability of red yeast rice versus pravastatin in patients unable to tolerate other statins because of myalgia . The study was conducted in a community-based setting in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . A total of 43 adults with dyslipidemia and a history of statin discontinuation because of myalgia were r and omly assigned to red yeast rice 2,400 mg twice daily or pravastatin 20 mg twice daily for 12 weeks . All subjects were concomitantly enrolled in a 12-week therapeutic lifestyle change program . The primary outcomes included the incidence of treatment discontinuation because of myalgia and a daily pain severity score . The secondary outcomes were muscle strength and plasma lipids . The incidence of withdrawal from medication owing to myalgia was 5 % ( 1 of 21 ) in the red yeast rice group and 9 % ( 2 of 22 ) in the pravastatin group ( p = 0.99 ) . The mean pain severity did not differ significantly between the 2 groups . No difference was found in muscle strength between the 2 groups at week 4 ( p = 0.61 ) , week 8 ( p = 0.81 ) , or week 12 ( p = 0.82 ) . The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level decreased 30 % in the red yeast rice group and 27 % in the pravastatin group . In conclusion , red yeast rice was tolerated as well as pravastatin and achieved a comparable reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in a population previously intolerant to statins Background : This study aim ed 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 ) . Conclusion : 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 Results of well-controlled prospect i ve clinical trials showed the efficacy of lipid-lowering therapies in the reduction of cardiovascular ( CV ) events in western population s , but they were not reported with a Chinese population . This multicenter study was conducted to determine the effects of Xuezhikang ( XZK ) , a partially purified extract of red yeast rice , on lipoprotein and CV end points in Chinese patients who experienced a previous myocardial infa rct ion . Nearly 5,000 of these patients with average low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels at baseline were r and omly assigned either to placebo or to XZK daily for an average of 4.5 years . The primary end point was a major coronary event that included nonfatal myocardial infa rct ion and death from coronary heart disease . Frequencies of the primary end point were 10.4 % in the placebo group and 5.7 % in the XZK-treated group , with absolute and relative decreases of 4.7 % and 45 % , respectively . Treatment with XZK also significantly decreased CV and total mortality by 30 % and 33 % , the need for coronary revascularization by 1/3 , and lowered total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides , but raised high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels . In conclusion , long-term therapy with XZK significantly decreased the recurrence of coronary events and the occurrence of new CV events and deaths , improved lipoprotein regulation , and was safe and well tolerated BACKGROUND We examined the cholesterol-lowering effects of a proprietary Chinese red-yeast-rice supplement in an American population consuming a diet similar to the American Heart Association Step I diet using a double-blind , placebo-controlled , prospect ively r and omized 12-wk controlled trial at a university research center . OBJECTIVE We evaluated the lipid-lowering effects of this red-yeast-rice dietary supplement in US adults separate from effects of diet alone . DESIGN Eighty-three healthy subjects ( 46 men and 37 women aged 34 - 78 y ) with hyperlipidemia [ total cholesterol , 5.28 - 8.74 mmol/L ( 204 - 338 mg/dL ) ; LDL cholesterol , 3.31 - 7.16 mmol/L ( 128 - 277 mg/dL ) ; triacylglycerol , 0.62 - 2.78 mmol/L ( 55 - 246 mg/dL ) ; and HDL cholesterol 0.78 - 2.46 mmol/L ( 30 - 95 mg/dL ) ] who were not being treated with lipid-lowering drugs participated . Subjects were treated with red yeast rice ( 2.4 g/d ) or placebo and instructed to consume a diet providing 30 % of energy from fat , < 10 % from saturated fat , and < 300 mg cholesterol daily . Main outcome measures were total cholesterol , total triacylglycerol , and HDL and LDL cholesterol measured at weeks 8 , 9 , 11 , and 12 . RESULTS Total cholesterol concentrations decreased significantly between baseline and 8 wk in the red-yeast-rice-treated group compared with the placebo-treated group [ ( x+/-SD ) 6.57+/-0.93 mmol/L ( 254+/-36 mg/dL ) to 5.38+/-0.80 mmol/L ( 208+/-31 mg/dL ) ; P < 0.001 ] . LDL cholesterol and total triacylglycerol were also reduced with the supplement . HDL cholesterol did not change significantly . CONCLUSIONS Red yeast rice significantly reduces total cholesterol , LDL cholesterol , and total triacylglycerol concentrations compared with placebo and provides a new , novel , food-based approach to lowering cholesterol in the general population INTRODUCTION Dietary supplements provide a novel population based health approach for treating hyperlipidemias . Red yeast rice is known to have lipid lowering effects . Combination of red yeast rice with various oils is taken by different population around the world . AIM In this present work , we aim ed to compare the effects of red yeast rice with different oil ( coconut , rice bran and sunflower oil ) supplementations on lipid levels and oxidative stress in rats fed on hypercholesterolemic diet . MATERIAL S AND METHODS A R and omized controlled study was conducted on 28 male Sprague Dawley rats . It included 4 arms-Control arm ( hypercholesterolemic diet ) , Test arm A ( hypercholesterolemic diet + Red yeast rice + Rice bran oil ) , arm B ( hypercholesterolemic diet + Red yeast rice + Coconut oil ) and arm C ( hypercholesterolemic diet + Red yeast rice + Sunflower oil ) . At the end of one month , serum cholesterol , triglycerides , MDA and paraoxonase was measured . The mean values of analytes between the different groups were compared using student ' t- ' test . RESULTS The rats fed with red yeast rice and rice bran oil combination showed significantly lower levels of serum cholesterol , triglycerides and MDA when compared to the controls . The serum paraoxonase levels were significantly higher in this group when compared to the controls . The rats fed with red yeast rice and coconut oil combination showed significantly lower serum cholesterol and MDA levels when compared to the controls . The mean triglyceride and paraoxonase levels did not show any statistically significant difference from the controls . The rats on red yeast rice and sunflower oil combination did not show any statistically significant difference in the lipid levels and oxidative stress parameters . CONCLUSION The food combination which had best outcome in preventing the development of hyperlipidemia and oxidative stress in rats fed with hypercholesterolemic diet was red yeast rice and rice bran oil . Combining red yeast rice with coconut oil and sunflower oil gave suboptimal benefits Our aim was to test , through a crossover , double-blind , placebo-controlled r and omized clinical trial , if a short-term treatment with 10 mg monacolins combined with antioxidants could improve lipid pattern , high-sensitivity C-reactive protein ( hs-CRP ) , and endothelial function in a small cohort of moderately hypercholesterolemic subjects . Thus , 25 healthy , moderately hypercholesterolemic subjects were consecutively enrolled and , after 4 weeks of stabilization diet , were r and omized to the sequence placebo followed by a washout , monacolins or monacolins followed by a washout , placebo , with each period being 4 weeks long . At each study step , a complete lipid pattern , safety parameters , hs-CRP , and endothelial function have been measured . When compared to the placebo phase , during monacolin treatment , patients experienced a more favorable percentage change in total cholesterol ( TC ) ( TC after monacolin treatment , −18.35 % ; TC after placebo treatment , −5.39 % ) , low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) ( LDL after monacolin treatment , −22.36 % ; LDL after placebo treatment , −1.38 % ) , non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( HDL-C ) ( non-HDL after monacolin treatment , −22.83 % ; non-HDL after placebo treatment : −7.15 % ) , hs-CRP ( hs-CRP after monacolin treatment : −2.33 % ; hs-CRP after placebo treatment , 2.11 % ) , and endothelial function ( pulse volume displacement after monacolin treatment , 18.59 % ; pulse volume displacement after placebo treatment , −6.69 % ) . No significant difference was observed with regard to triglycerides , HDL-cholesterol , and safety parameters . On the basis of our data , we could demonstrate that a 10 mg monacolin nutraceutical treatment appears to safely reduce cholesterolemia , hs-CRP , and markers of vascular remodeling in moderately hypercholesterolemic subjects . These results need to be confirmed in larger patient sample s and in studies with longer duration Efficacy of a new patented proprietary combination of natural nutraceuticals ( PN ) containing natural hypolipidemic as red yeast , policosanol and berberine was tested in a large study on dyslipidemic patients in clinical practice . A parallel , controlled , r and omized , multicenter study was design ed . After 2 weeks on a stable dietary regimen , the patients were r and omized to PN 1 tablet/day associated with diet ( PN + D ) or diet alone ( D ) for 16 weeks . Entry criteria were : Tot-Chol > 200 mg/dL or LDL-Chol > 150 mg/dL without a clear indication for statins , or plasma triglycerides > 150 mg/dL.  Lipid pattern and CV parameters were evaluated at baseline and monthly . 1,751 patients were enrolled in 248 Italian units , 933 patients on PN + D and 818 on D. The baseline lipid values were : Tot-Chol 255.4 versus 243.1 mg/dL , LDL-Chol 170.1 versus 162.2 mg/dL , HDL-Chol 50.0 versus 48.8 mg/dL , and TG 190.5 versus 184.4 mg/dL. PN constantly and significantly improved lipid parameters versus D group : at 16 weeks −19.1 versus −9.4 % for Tot-Chol ( p < 0.001 ) , −23.5 versus −10.8 % for LDL-Chol ( p < 0.001 ) , + 11.6 versus + 4.0 % for HDL-Chol ( p < 0.001 ) , −17.9 versus −11.3 % for TG ( p < 0.001 ) . In conclusions , PN plus diet allows an effective improvement of blood lipids with a significant reduction of global CV risk , suggesting a role for PN in CHD prevention Background Prospect i ve studies indicate that baseline levels of C-reactive protein ( CRP ) , the prototypic marker of inflammation , are associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular events . Limited studies have examined therapies that influence high-sensitive CRP ( hs-CRP ) levels , especially in hyperlipidemic patients . Thus , we tested the effects of 3 hydroxymethyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors ( statins ) , simvastatin ( 20 mg/d ) , pravastatin ( 40 mg/d ) , and atorvastatin ( 10 mg/d ) , on levels of hs-CRP in a r and omized , double-blind , crossover trial of 22 patients with combined hyperlipidemia ( LDL cholesterol > 130 mg/dL and triglycerides of 200 to 600 mg/dL ) . Methods and Results After 6 weeks of an American Heart Association Step 1 diet , fasting blood sample s were drawn at baseline and after 6 weeks of therapy with each drug . hs-CRP levels were significantly decreased after treatment with all 3 statins compared with baseline ( median values : baseline , 2.6 mg/L ; atorvastatin , 1.7 mg/L ; simvastatin , 1.7 mg/L ; and pravastatin , 1.9 mg/L;P < 0.025 ) . The reductions obtained with the 3 statins were similar . In addition , there was no significant effect on either plasma interleukin-6 or interleukin-6 soluble receptor levels . There was no relationship between reductions in hs-CRP and LDL cholesterol . Conclusions Pravastatin , simvastatin , and atorvastatin significantly decreased levels of hs-CRP . These data support an anti-inflammatory effect of these drugs Background Statins are at the forefront of strategies to manage hypercholesterolemia . However 10 % to 15 % of patients are intolerant to any statin drugs , even at low daily doses and almost one-third of statin users discontinue therapy within 1 year . Some nutraceuticals are prescribed as lipid-lowering substances , but doubts remain about their efficacy and tolerability . Objectives We aim ed to investigate the efficacy and the safety of a nutraceutical combination consisting mainly of 200 mg red yeast rice extract ( equivalent to 3 mg monacolins ) , 500 mg berberine , and 10 mg policosanols ( MBP-NC ) in patients with low-moderate risk hypercholesterolemia . Methods In this single centre , r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled study 60 consecutive out patients ( 29 men and 31 women ; age range = 18–60 years ) , with newly diagnosed primary hypercholesterolemia not previously treated , after a run-in period of 3 weeks on a stable hypolipidic diet , were r and omized to receive a pill of MBP-NC ( n = 30 ) or placebo ( n = 30 ) once a day after dinner , in addition to the hypolipidic diet . The efficacy and the tolerability of the proposed nutraceutical treatment were fully assessed after 4 , 12 , and 24 weeks of treatment . Results In the MBP-NC group both total cholesterol and LDL-C already showed a significant reduction at Week 4 ( –30.3 % ± 33.9 % and –29.4 % ± 35.3 % , respectively ) that remained substantially unchanged at Week 12 ( –26.7 % ± 33.1 % and –25.6 % ± 31.5 % , respectively ) and at Week 24 ( –24.6 % ± 32.1 % and –23.7 % ± 32.6 % , respectively ) . The between-groups differences were significant at all time points for both total cholesterol and LDL-C. There were no significant changes in HDL-C , fasting glucose , and triglyceride serum levels in either group . MBP-NC  was also safe and well tolerated . Conclusions In patients with low- to moderate-risk hypercholesterolemia  a nutraceutical combination in association with a hypolipidic diet  significantly reduced total cholesterol and LDL-C levels and may favor the reaching the recommended cholesterol targets . Clinical Trials.gov identifier : NCT02078167 Background : 3-Hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A ( HMG-CoA ) reductase inhibitors ( statins ) markedly reduce serum cholesterol and have anti-inflammatory effects . The effect of cholesterol-lowering diets on inflammatory biomarkers is less well known . Objective : To compare the efficacy of a dietary combination ( portfolio ) of cholesterol-lowering foods vs a statin in reducing C-reactive protein ( CRP ) as a biomarker of inflammation linked to increased cardiovascular disease risk . Methods : In all , 34 hyperlipidemic subjects completed three 1-month treatments as out patients in r and om order : a very low-saturated fat diet ( control ) ; the same diet with 20 mg lovastatin ( statin ) ; and a diet high in plant sterols ( 1.0 g/1000 kcal ) , soy protein ( 21.4 g/1000 kcal ) , viscous fibers ( 9.8 g/1000 kcal ) , and almonds ( 14 g/1000 kcal ) ( portfolio ) . Fasting blood sample s were obtained at weeks 0 , 2 , and 4 . Results : Using the complete data , no treatment reduced serum CRP . However , when subjects with CRP levels above the 75th percentile for previously reported studies ( > 3.5 mg/l ) were excluded , CRP was reduced similarly on both statin , −16.3±6.7 % ( n=23 , P=0.013 ) and dietary portfolio , −23.8±6.9 % ( n=25 , P=0.001 ) but not the control , 15.3±13.6 % ( n=28 , P=0.907 ) . The percentage CRP change from baseline on the portfolio treatment ( n=25 ) was greater than the control ( n=28 , P=0.004 ) but similar to statin treatment ( n=23 , P=0.349 ) . Both statin and portfolio treatments were similar in reducing CRP and numerically more effective than control but only the change in portfolio was significant after the Bonferroni adjustment . Conclusions : A combination of cholesterol-lowering foods  reduced C-reactive protein to a similar extent as the starting dose of a first-generation statin Introduction Statins are at the forefront of strategies to manage dyslipidemia , although they are not always well tolerated . At 6–7 months after the drug was supplied , discontinuation rates averaged 30 % . Alternate agents to statins have been studied . Some nutraceuticals demonstrated an efficacy in reducing cholesterol concentrations . However , there are no data regarding the use of nutraceuticals in elderly dyslipidemic patients . The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy , safety , and tolerability of a nutraceutical-based protocol in elderly hypercholesterolemic patients previously intolerant to statins . Methods This study was performed as a r and omized , prospect i ve , parallel group , single-blind study . Patients were included in the study if they had high total cholesterolemia , high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) , > 75 years of age , statin-intolerant , and were refusing other pharmaceutical treatments for hypercholesterolemia . At the baseline visit , eligible patients were r and omized to either nutraceutical-combined pill ( containing berberine 500 mg , policosanol 10 mg , red yeast rice 200 mg , folic acid 0.2 mg , coenzyme Q10 2.0 mg , and astaxanthin 0.5 mg ) or placebo , and the first dose was dispensed . The efficacy , safety , and tolerability of the proposed treatment were fully assessed after 3 , 6 , and 12 months of treatment . Results Out of 106 consecutive patients screened , 80 eligible patients were r and omized to receive either nutraceutical-combined pill ( 40 patients ) or placebo ( 40 patients ) . No patients were lost and no deaths occurred during the follow-up . There was a statistically significant reduction in total cholesterolemia ( −20 % ) , LDL-C ( −31 % ) , and insulin resistance ( −10 % ) with nutraceutical treatment . No significant changes were detected for plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( HDL-C ) . Furthermore , no statistical differences were found between baseline and end- study safety parameters . Medication compliance and tolerability were high . Conclusion In this study the authors have demonstrated that combined nutraceuticals significantly reduce cholesterolemia and achieved acceptable plasma LDL-C levels in elderly hypercholesterolemic patients who were previously statin-intolerant .  Combined nutraceuticals is also safe and well tolerated in these patients Several previous trials from Western population studies have showed that statins may help reduce blood pressure ( BP ) . However , r and omized clinical data is limited . Xuezhikang , a partially extract of red yeast rice , contains a family of naturally occurring statins , and has a marked impact on lipids , but it is unknown whether Xuezhikang has any effect on BP during long-term follow-up in the Chinese population . This is a post-hoc subgroup analysis of a r and omized , double-blinded , placebo-controlled , parallel group clinical trial , Chinese Coronary Secondary Prevention Study ( CCSPS ) . A total of 2704 hypertensive patients with previous myocardial infa rct ion ( MI ) were assigned either to placebo ( n = = 1341 ) or to Xuezhikang ( n = = 1363 ) daily for an average of 4.5 years . The primary outcome was the unadjusted changes in mean arterial pressure ( MAP ) from baseline to 6 months . We also assessed systolic blood pressure ( SBP ) , diastolic blood pressure ( DBP ) , and pulse pressure . Analysis of covariance was used to calculate the adjusted effects of treatment on changes in these outcomes at 6 , 12 , 24 , and 48 months post-r and om- ization , after controlling for potential confounders . This analysis included 2704//4870 ( 55.5%% ) hypertensive patients for whom BP was measured at baseline and at least one follow-up visit after r and omization . Median duration of the follow-up was 4.5 years ( 54 months ) , and 25 patients ( 0.92%% ) were lost to the last follow-up because of adverse effects . The results showed that the unadjusted and adjusted changes in MAP , SBP , DBP , or pulse pressure from baseline were not significantly different for Xuezhikang or placebo recipients at 6 , 12 , 24 , and 48 months after r and omization . In this post-hoc subgroup analysis , we failed to demonstrate any significant reducing effects of Xuezhikang on BP in Chinese hypertensive patients with previous MI , suggesting that further prospect i ve study on the effects of statins on BP would be needed , especially in high-risk patients Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and has a prevalence of about one billion people worldwide . It has been shown that adherence to a diet rich in fruits and vegetables helps in decreasing blood pressure ( BP ) . This study aim ed to investigate the effect of raw beet juice ( RBJ ) and cooked beet ( CB ) on BP of hypertensive subjects . In this r and omized crossover study , 24 hypertensive subjects aged 25–68 years old were divided into two groups . One group took RBJ for 2 weeks and the other group took CB . After 2 weeks of treatment , both groups had a washout for 2 weeks then switched to the alternate treatment . Each participant consumed 250 ml day−1 of RBJ or 250 g day−1 of CB each for a period of 2 weeks . Body weight , BP , flow-mediated dilation ( FMD ) , lipid profile and inflammatory parameters were measured at baseline and after each period . According to the results , high-sensitivity C-reactive protein ( hs-CRP ) and tumour necrosis factor alpha ( TNF-α ) were significantly lower and FMD was significantly higher after treatment with RBJ compared with CB  ( P<0.05 ) . FMD was significantly ( P<0.05 ) increased , but systolic and diastolic BP , intracellular adhesion molecule-1 ( ICAM-1 ) , vascular endothelial adhesion molecule-1 ( VCAM-1 ) , hs-CRP , interleukin-6 , E-selectin and TNF-α were significantly ( P<0.05 ) decreased with RBJ or  CB . Total antioxidant capacity was increased and non-high-density lipoprotein ( HDL ) , low-density lipoprotein ( LDL ) and total cholesterol ( TC ) were decreased with RBJ but not with CB . Although both forms of beetroot were effective in improving BP , endothelial function and systemic inflammation , the raw beetroot juice had greater antihypertensive effects . Also more improvement was observed in endothelial function and systemic inflammation  with RBJ compared with CB BACKGROUND Statins are the most commonly prescribed drugs to reduce cardiometabolic risk . Besides the well-known efficacy of such compounds in both preventing and treating cardiometabolic disorders , some patients experience statin-induced side effects . We hypothesize that the use of natural bergamot-derived polyphenols may allow patients undergoing statin treatment to reduce effective doses while achieving target lipid values . The aim of the present study is to investigate the occurrence of an enhanced effect of bergamot-derived polyphenolic fraction ( BPF ) on rosuvastatin-induced hypolipidemic and vasoprotective response in patients with mixed hyperlipidemia . METHODS A prospect i ve , open-label , parallel group , placebo-controlled study on 77 patients with elevated serum LDL-C and triglycerides was design ed . Patients were r and omly assigned to a control group receiving placebo ( n=15 ) , two groups receiving orally administered rosuvastatin ( 10 and 20mg/daily for 30 days ; n=16 for each group ) , a group receiving BPF alone orally ( 1000 mg/daily for 30 days ; n=15 ) and a group receiving BPF ( 1000 mg/daily given orally ) plus rosuvastatin ( 10mg/daily for 30 days ; n=15 ) . RESULTS Both doses of rosuvastatin and BPF reduced total cholesterol , LDL-C , the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and urinary mevalonate in hyperlipidemic patients , compared to control group . The cholesterol lowering effect was accompanied by reductions of malondialdehyde , oxyLDL receptor LOX-1 and phosphoPKB , which are all biomarkers of oxidative vascular damage , in peripheral polymorphonuclear cells . CONCLUSIONS Addition of BPF to rosuvastatin significantly enhanced rosuvastatin-induced effect on serum lipemic profile compared to rosuvastatin alone . This lipid-lowering effect was associated with significant reductions of biomarkers used for detecting oxidative vascular damage , suggesting a multi-action enhanced potential for BPF in patients on statin therapy OBJECTIVES In addition to its LDL-C-lowering effects , statin treatment reduces the level of C-reactive protein ( CRP ) . Long-term data on this effect in low-risk population s are limited . Furthermore , whether the CRP reduction is a consequence of LDL-C lowering or occurs independently remains unclear . We studied these aspects in the Measuring Effects on intima media Thickness : an Evaluation Of Rosuvastatin ( METEOR ) study , a r and omized placebo-controlled trial amongst 984 low-risk subjects . METHODS METEOR is a r and omized placebo-controlled trial that evaluated the effect of 40 mg of rosuvastatin on 2-year change in carotid intima media thickness ( CIMT ) amongst 984 low-risk patients ( 10-year Framingham risk < 10 % ) with modest CIMT ( CIMT > or = 1.2 and < 3.5 mm ) and elevated LDL-C.  CRP levels were measured at baseline and after 2 years of treatment . RESULTS Median baseline CRP was 1.4 mg L(-1 ) . Rosuvastatin lowered CRP significantly compared with placebo : -36 % in the rosuvastatin group versus no change in the placebo group . There was no relation between change in CRP and change in LDL-C ( Spearman correlation : 0.08 ; SE : 0.04 ) . Stratified analyses showed that the CRP-lowering effect was present amongst all strata of baseline characteristics , including baseline lipids and CRP levels . However , the magnitude of CRP reduction was larger amongst women and participants older than 60 years . CONCLUSIONS Rosuvastatin ( 40 mg ) lowers CRP independently from its effects on LDL-C in low-risk subjects with normal baseline CRP levels and modest CIMT BACKGROUND AND AIMS Some nutraceuticals are prescribed as lipid-lowering substances . However , doubts remain about their efficacy . We evaluated the effects of a nutraceutical combination ( NC ) , consisting of 500 mg berberine , 200 mg red yeast rice and 10 mg policosanols , on cholesterol levels and endothelial function in patients with hypercholesterolemia . METHODS AND RESULTS In this single centre , r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled study , 50 hypercholesterolemic patients ( 26 males and 24 females , mean age 55±7 years , total cholesterol 6.55±0.75 mmol/l , BMI 28±3.5 ) were r and omized to 6 weeks of treatment with a daily oral dose of NC  ( 25 patients ) or placebo  ( 25 patients ) . In a subsequent open-label extension of 4 weeks , the whole sample received NC . The main outcome measure was decrease total cholesterol ( C ) levels in the NC arm . Secondary outcome measures were decreased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) and triglyceride levels , and improved endothelial-dependent flow-mediated dilation ( FMD ) and insulin sensitivity in relation to NC . Evaluation of absolute changes from baseline showed significant reductions in NC versus placebo for C and LDL-C ( C : -1.14±0.88 and -0.03±0.78 mmol/l , p<0.001 ; LDL-C : -1.06±0.75 and -00.4±0.54 mmol/l , p<0.001 ) , and a significant improvement of FMD ( 3±4 % and 0±3 % respectively , p<0.05 ) . After the extension phase , triglyceride levels decreased significantly from 1.57±0.77 to 1.26±0.63 mmol/l , p<0.05 and insulin sensitivity improved in a patient subgroup with insulin resistance at baseline ( HOMA : from 3.3±0.4 to 2.5±1.3 , p<0.05 ) . No adverse effect was reported . CONCLUSIONS This NC reduces cholesterol levels . The reduction is associated with improved endothelial function and insulin sensitivity
“ RYR plus conventional therapy ” exhibited significant lowering effects on serum total cholesterol ( TC ) , low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) , and CRP but exhibited no significant effect on systolic BP , diastolic BP , triglycerides ( TG ) , and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( HDL-C ) compared with “ placebo plus conventional therapy . ” “
RYR plus conventional therapy ” showed significant lowering effects on systolic BP , TC , LDL-C , and CRP but no effect on diastolic BP , TG , and HDL-C compared with “ placebo plus conventional therapy . ”
No significant difference in BP and lipid profile between “ RYR plus conventional therapy ” and “ statins plus conventional therapy ” was observed .
“ RYR plus statins ” appeared to be more effective in lowering BP , TC , TG , and LDL-C but without a significant difference in HDL-C compared to statins .
No serious adverse events were reported .
The results of this meta- analysis suggested some supportive but limited evidence regarding RYR for hypertension .
ABSTRACT Interest is increasing regarding the potential health effects of red yeast rice ( RYR ) consumption , which is described as a “ natural statin ” in China .
This review aims to evaluate the efficacy of RYR on blood pressure ( BP ) , lipid profile , and C-reactive protein ( CRP ) in treating  hypertension .