Products
Red mold rice is commercially available in some countries as a dietary supplement or food. In 2014 and 2019, Swissmedic informed that the sale of products with is not allowed in many countries, either as medicines or dietary supplements.
Ingredients
Red mold rice is a fermentation product of rice with mold strains of the genus . It is a traditional Chinese food and medicinal product. In addition to red pigments, the rice contains monacolins such as monacolin K. This is equivalent to the statin lovastatin, which is marketed as a cholesterol-lowering drug in some countries. Lovastatin was originally isolated from the soil fungus. In addition, many other substances are present in rice, including, in part, citrinin, which has been attributed with renal toxicity and mutagenic properties (!)
Effects
Red mold rice has lipid-lowering properties. Statins such as lovastatin lower LDL, triglycerides, and increase HDL. The effects are due to inhibition of the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase. This enzyme catalyzes an early step in cholesterol biosynthesis by converting 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) to mevalonic acid (mevalonate). Statins also have numerous pleiotropic effects.
Indications for use
- To maintain normal blood cholesterol levels; to treat disorders of lipid metabolism.
- As a food coloring (eg, Peking duck).
Adverse effects
The most common possible adverse effects of lovastatin include headache, dizziness, visual disturbances, digestive problems, skin rashes, muscle cramps, and muscle pain. Statins can very rarely cause life-threatening disintegration of skeletal muscle (rhabdomyolysis). In addition, rice contains other ingredients that can cause side effects (see above).