Abstract
Red yeast rice, a fermented product of rice on which red yeast (Monascus purpureus) has been grown, has been used in Chinese cuisine and as a medicinal food to promote “blood circulation” for centuries. In Asian countries, red yeast rice is a dietary staple and is used to make rice wine, as a flavoring agent, and to preserve the flavor and color of fish and meat.1 Red yeast rice forms naturally occurring hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMG-CoA reductase) inhibitors known as monacolins. The medicinal properties of red yeast rice favorably impact lipid profiles of hypercholesterolemic patients.