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Medical Forum / General / Cardiology / February 2005

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Red Yeast Rice Extract

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ken - 04 Feb 2005 01:01 GMT
Several years ago my Cholesterol reading was 290.
My Dr. wanted to put me on Lipitor.. I said I would rather use RYR extract.
He had no idea what that was but said give it a try and if it did not work
he would pursue the Lipitor.
After 6 mos. cholesterol was 164.

Same lab same lipid profile.

Regards, Ken
Sharon Hope - 04 Feb 2005 05:44 GMT
Mevacor, the first statin, is red yeast rice.

> Several years ago my Cholesterol reading was 290.
> My Dr. wanted to put me on Lipitor.. I said I would rather use RYR
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> Regards, Ken
Marengo - 14 Feb 2005 12:00 GMT
> Mevacor, the first statin, is red yeast rice.

it is`nt.
Statins are synthtisized out from Apergillus terreus mould, RYR from
Monascus strain.

please read this, or the published Monograph by
INPR, Inst.for Natural Products Research
www.naturalproducts.org

Difference of the compounds in Red Yeast Rice (CHOLESTIN/ MONACHOL)
between Monacolins and Lovastatin

Generally concerned, we must decide between Lacton-form and
Hydoxy-acid-form in Red Yeast Rice, (because all Monacolins in RYR are
eighter in Lacton-form and/or in Hydroxy-acid-form)

   
a)Lactonform (C24H36O5) original and firstly named as  als    
6-alpha-Methylcompactin,Mevacor, Mevinacor, Mevlor, Mevinolin oder
Monacolin K

b)Hydroxysäure (C24H38O6) historic as Monacolinic K acid,  Lovastatin
acid,
 Lovastatin hydroxy acid and today as Mevinolinic acid  or L 154819
described.

chemical on interest is:

1 Molecul of the (open-ring) Lactonform (C24H36O5) + 1 Watermolecul
(H2O) results the (closed-ring)Hyxdroxy-acid-form (C24H38O6), formerly
and wrong as Monacolin K described, but correct as  Mevinolinic acid
(or as Lovastatin hydroxy acid or Lovastatin acid) to describe.

In the Pharmacy  Mevinacor contained the  Lacton Lovastatin/Monacolin
K about 20-35% and Mevinolinic-acid about 60-85%. (the more humidity
of RYR the more different)

The Lacton Lovastatin/Monacolin K on the other hand dissolved in
Stomach-acid
in Movinolinic-acid (20%) and further 10 % would be shared out as
Lovastatin.

thats pharmacologic interesting, because in the Human body the Lacton
has another effect as Movinolinic-acid, this is significant.

Mevinolinic-acid is direct pharmacologic effective, would faster
admitted, but slowly from the Liver assimilated  than the Lacton-form.


REM.
above described only the Red Yeast Rice known as formerly CHOLESTIN
and not another products on the market, because some are a mix between
Red Rice-food-color and chemical Lovastatin and include nephrotoxic
compound Citrinin, see

An analysis of nine proprietary Chinese red yeast rice dietary
supplements: implications of variability in chemical profile and
contents
J Altern Complement Med 2001 Apr;7(2):133-9    (ISSN: 1075-5535)
Heber D; Lembertas A; Lu QY; Bowerman S; Go VL UCLA Center for Human
Nutrition, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California
90095-1742, USA. dheber@mednet.ucla.edu.

greetings MG
ken - 14 Feb 2005 17:33 GMT
Marengo, Link you refenced didn't come up.
Can you recheck please.

Are you saying that RYR extract is not th same as the statin drugs?
I had trouble comprehending your post.

Thanks, ken

>> Mevacor, the first statin, is red yeast rice.
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> INPR, Inst.for Natural Products Research
> www.naturalproducts.org
Marengo - 15 Feb 2005 10:04 GMT
> Marengo, Link you refenced didn't come up.
> Can you recheck please.
>
> Are you saying that RYR extract is not th same as the statin drugs?
> I had trouble comprehending your post.

hello Ken,

thats right, RYR is not the same as Statin Drugs.
Statin Drugs contents Monacolin K only,
RYR (with 4mg/g as promoted from CHOLESTIN supplier Pharmanex)
contents only 1,6mg/g Monacolin K but/and 2,3mg/g Mevinolinic acid and
some other compounds

and Monacolin K is only oil-soluble, goes direct to the
Liver,(consumed one time at evening)
Mevinolinic acid is watersoluble, works gentle over
Mouth,Stomach,Intestinal and partially through the Liver.
thats the reason of lower (missing) side-effect with RYR (CHOLESTIN)

greetings

MG
Frankie - 17 Feb 2005 05:22 GMT
Re: RYR is not the same as Statin Drugs. Statin Drugs contain Monacolin
K only.

Red Yeast Rice is sold as just "Red Yeast Rice" also [in the USA]
Contents is: Monascus purpureus. Monascus metabolic products are
monacolin K and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
RYR is a statin.

Example: NOW Brand of RYR ~ 600mg capsules:
http://store.yahoo.com/nowcatalog/3501.html
Red Yeast Rice is a unique natural product native to China that's
been used in Asian traditional medical systems since approximately 800
A.D. Produced by fermenting red yeast (Monascus purpureus) with white
rice, Red Yeast Rice is commonly used in cooking applications to
enhance the color and flavor of foods. Peking Duck is an example of the
coloration and flavor imparted by Red Yeast Rice. NOW® Red Yeast Rice
Extract is carefully produced to avoid the presence of citrinin, a
sometimes toxic by-product of the fermentation process.

Per PubMed:
Monascus, a traditional Chinese fermentation fungus, is used as a
natural dietary supplement. Its metabolic products monacolin K and
gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) have each been proven to be a
cholesterol-lowering drug and a hypotensive agent. Citrinin, another
secondary metabolite, is toxic to humans, thus lowering the
acceptability of red mold rice to the general public.
Source:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids6
25794&dopt«stract

Marengo - 17 Feb 2005 12:26 GMT
> Re: RYR is not the same as Statin Drugs. Statin Drugs contain Monacolin
> K only.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> monacolin K and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
> RYR is a statin.

hello Frankie,

RYR it isn`nt a Statin:
Monacolin K and some of its derivatives mentioned below evolve as a
secondary metabolite in the growth of various fungus species (e.g.
Aspergillus, Penicillium, Monascus,     Pleurotus) 2,3,4,5). As
inhibitors of Hydoxymethyl-Glutaryl-Coenzyme A-Reductase) they are of
high pharmacological interest particularly regarding the cholestorol
reducing factor (“Statine”)
While statines like Monacolin K in its lactone form (Lovastatin, trade
names Mevacor, Mevinacor, Mevlor) can be produced synthetically by the
pharmaceutical industry as a clean substance, in herbal metabolism
mixtures of both forms are formed in characteristic ratios with small
amounts of additional bioynthetic precursors and enzymatic changed
(esterified) and chemically dismantled (e.g. by water separation)
derivates, whose pharmacological effect is not yet identified
In lactone form Monacolin K (synonymous Mevinolin) is the
b,d-dihydoxy-7-[1,2,6,7,8,8a-hexahydro-2,6-dimethyl-8-(2-methylbutyryloxy)-naphtalene-1-yl]-heptanoic
acid d-lactone (Fig.1), which can  be opened to hydroxy(mevinolinic
acid form by basic hydrolysis (Fig.2)1
and:in fermented red Rioce Powder RYR is Monacolin K at 20-25% and
hydroxy/mevinolinic acid at 60-70% some other compounds as:
Monacolin K, Monacolin J, Monacolin L Monacolin M, Monacolin J
Monacolin K Dehydromonacolin , Dihydromonacolin, Proteins, fat, 16
saturated,unsaturated fatty acids,Carbohydrates, starches, 22 amino
acids .i.e.

greetings
MG
ken - 22 Feb 2005 21:01 GMT
Marengo,

In simple terms please...

If I take herbal RYR extract..do I need to worry about the effect it has on
my liver as I would if I had taken lovastatin or some of the other statin
DRUGS.

Thank you, Ken
>> Re: RYR is not the same as Statin Drugs. Statin Drugs contain Monacolin
>> K only.
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
> greetings
> MG
Marengo - 24 Feb 2005 08:38 GMT
hello Ken

> In simple terms please...

will try...

> If I take herbal RYR extract..do I need to worry about the effect it has on
> my liver as I would if I had taken lovastatin or some of the other statin
> DRUGS.

note please firstly:
RYR is not a Herbal extract, RYR is a fermentation product with
glutinus white Rice, after 10 days the grains are milled and filled in
Capsules.
thats it.normally.

I don`t know your supplier for your RYR, but be careful.
If your supplier can show you (deliver) his product also in grains,
than its not a fake (mix from normal red rice foodcolor with
Lovastatin) with sideeffects.
see the Study from David Heber by UCLA
greetings

MG
MisterSkippy - 06 Feb 2005 21:43 GMT
>Several years ago my Cholesterol reading was 290.
>My Dr. wanted to put me on Lipitor.. I said I would rather use RYR extract.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
>Regards, Ken

What dosage did you take? Brand?  I take 20 mg Lipitor daily and would
prefer a natural product.
TIA
DFB

"When a legislature undertakes to proscribe the exercise of a citizen's
constitutional rights it acts lawlessly and the citizen can take matters into
his own hands and proceed on the basis that such a law is no law at all."
- Justice William O. Douglas
Frankie - 12 Feb 2005 18:46 GMT
Just from experience I would suggest taking 600mg.
600mg is the lowest dosage capsule. If you attain
the desired results, no need to increase.

You must be warned though that although RYR is
a natural substance, you still need to have your
blood tests every 6 months, as RYR is a real statin.

RYR can have [and does from personal experience] the
same statin side effects.

Also be aware that when changing from one statin to
another, there is the possibility of the onset of side
effects, even if you have not experienced side effects
before.

Just a heads-up....

Frankie
ritpg@hotmail.com - 27 Feb 2005 05:15 GMT
> Just from experience I would suggest taking 600mg.
> 600mg is the lowest dosage capsule. If you attain
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
> Frankie

I've been on 2400 mg/day (2 capsules in the a.m. and 2 in the p.m) of
red yeast rice for over two years now and have never had any
perceptible side effects.  Combined with fish oil, I keep my
cholesterol down to ~200.  It's not the 160 I got from Lipitor but then
I'd rather be able to walk up stairs without feeling like my legs are
falling off.  I had a terrible time on Lipitor and Zocor.  CPK levels
well over 600 (120 is normal).  I order red yeast rice from
www.swansonvitamins.com at ~$7 per one month supply.  I used to use
Cholestin but it's price got too high.  I'd be willing to bet that
there are millions of people who are having adverse side effects from
the synthetic statins (Zocor, Lipitor, etc.)  and don't even know it.
All it takes is a simple additional blood test the next time you have a
lipid profile done.  Make sure they check your CPK level and discuss
the results with your MD.
 
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