SynthesisAtherosclerosis2015
Traditional Chinese lipid-lowering agent red yeast rice results in significant LDL reduction but safety is uncertain - a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Atherosclerosis, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 70 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
70 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 165 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pooled it
- Effects of the combination of red yeast rice-containing commercial Chinese polyherbal preparation with statins for dyslipidemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2024Pooled it
- Efficacy and Safety of Armolipid PlusNutrients · 2021Pooled it
- Efficacy of red yeast rice extract on myocardial infarction patients with borderline hypercholesterolemia: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Scientific reports · 2020Pooled it
- Red Yeast Rice: A Systematic Review of the Traditional Uses, Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Quality Control of an Important Chinese Folk Medicine.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2019Pooled it
- The Effect of Nattokinase-Monascus Supplements on Dyslipidemia: A Four-Month Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.Nutrients · 2023Trial
- Trial
- A Combination ofNutrients · 2021Trial
- A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Study of the Effects of a Nutraceutical Combination (LEVELIP DUONutrients · 2020Trial
- Trial
- Natto Red Yeast Rice Supplement Regulates Lipid Profiles: A Multicenter, Double-Placebo, Double-Blinded, Randomized Controlled Trial.JACC. Asia · 2026Article
- Research Progress, Safety Regulation and Application Prospects in Health Food Development of Red Yeast Rice-Derived Bioactive Compounds: A Critical Narrative Review.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Postoperative Monacolin K Supplementation and Lipid Profile After Sleeve Gastrectomy: A Retrospective Comparative Analysis in Women.Nutrients · 2026Observational
- Red yeast rice with monacolin K for the improvement of hyperlipidemia: A narrative review.World journal of clinical cases · 2025Review
- Clinical Characteristics and Management of Statin-Associated Anti-3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl-Coenzyme A Reductase Immune-Mediated Necrotizing Myopathy.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Evaluation of NaTto Red Yeast Rice on Regulating Blood Lipid (ENTRY) Study: A Multicenter, Double-Placebo, Double-Blinded, Randomized Controlled Trial in Chinese Adults.Chronic diseases and translational medicine · 2025Article
- Renal Injuries Induced by Supplements Containing Red Yeast Rice.Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan) · 2025Article
- Scientific Opinion on additional scientific data related to the safety of monacolins from red yeast rice submitted pursuant to Article 8(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006.EFSA journal. European Food Safety Authority · 2025Article
- Fulminant Red Yeast Rice-Associated Rhabdomyolysis with Acute Liver Injury and Hyperkalemia Treated with Extracorporeal Blood Purification Using CytoSorb.Drug, healthcare and patient safety · 2025Article
- Review
10 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo verify the safety and effectiveness of traditional Chinese red yeast rice-extract (RYR) for reduction of LDL cholesterol.
methodsSystematic literature review and meta-analysis. Medline and EMBASE were searched until November 2014. We selected randomized studies in which RYR with a known content of the active substance monacolin K was tested against placebo or an active control group. Outcome measures were the effect of RYR on LDL cholesterol and incidence of adverse reactions with emphasis on liver and kidney injury and muscle symptoms.
resultsTwenty studies were analyzed. Quality of safety assessment was low in the majority of studies. RYR lowered LDL cholesterol with 1.02 mmol/L [-1.20; -0.83] compared to placebo. Effect of RYR on LDL was not different from statin therapy (0.03 mmol/L [-0.36; 0.41]). The incidence of liver and kidney injury was 0-5% and the risk was not different between treatment and control groups (risk difference -0.01 [-0.01; 0.0] and 0.0 [-0.01; 0.02]).
conclusionsRYR exerts a clinically and statistically significant reduction of 1.02 mmol/L LDL cholesterol. Only when the mild profile of adverse reactions can be affirmed in studies with adequate methodology for safety assessment, RYR might be a safe and effective treatment option for dyslipidemia and cardiovascular risk reduction in statin intolerant patients.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.