Red yeast rice prevents atherosclerosis through regulating inflammatory signaling pathways

Abstract

RYR has the anti-atherosclerotic and stabilizing unstable plaque effects. The mechanism might be related to the inflflammatory signaling pathways.

Red yeast rice ameliorates high-fat diet-induced atherosclerosis in Apoe−/− mice in association with improved inflammation and altered gut microbiota composition

“…For instance, Wu et al reported that RYR could reduce the plaque size and decrease the serum levels of cholesterol. 27 It is known that Monascus produce a variety of functional secondary metabolites, among which monacolin compounds are marked to cause a reversible competitive inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase. 28 In addition, monacolin K, a major constitute of RYR, is structurally identical to lovastatin, which is the first statin drug to manage plasma lipids and prevent coronary heart disease.…”

“…This is consistent with recent research showing that supplementation with RYR in Apoe −/− mice decreased the plasma levels of IL-6 and TNF-α. 33 In order to elucidate the signal pathway responsible to RYR treatment, we examined the expression of proteins involved in inflammatory signaling pathways. Our results showed that TLR2, TLR4, and MAPK were significantly increased in the model group, whereas treatment with RYR reversed the increase of the three proteins.…”

Red Yeast Rice: A Systematic Review of the Traditional Uses, Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Quality Control of an Important Chinese Folk Medicine

“…An eight-week administration of XZK (600–1,200 mg/kg) to C57BL/6 mice was found to significantly and dose-dependently inhibit vulnerable plaque progression, decrease the plaque area, and suppress lesional endoplasmic reticulum stress (Shen et al, 2017). In another study involving atherosclerotic rats fed a high-cholesterol diet, the oral administration of RYR at 120 mg/kg significantly reduced the plaque size, stabilized the plaque, protected the endothelium, and decreased the number of lipid droplets and cholesterol calculi, and lowered the levels of high sensitivity C-reaction protein (Hs-CRP), IL-6, and TNF-α, suggesting that the anti-atherosclerotic activity of RYR may be related to inflammatory signaling pathways (Wu et al, 2017). The administration of aqueous and ethanol extracts of RYR to homocysteine-treated human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) (1–160 µg/ml) for 24 h reduced TNF-α-induced metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 expression.…”

Taoren Honghua Drug Attenuates Atherosclerosis and Plays an Anti-Inflammatory Role in ApoE Knock-Out Mice and RAW264.7 Cells

“…According to TCM, AS is a manifestation of the “blood stasis status”, and therefore should be treated with blood-activating drugs. Previous studies suggested that TCM herbs with blood-activating property could exert anti-inflammatory, anti-platelet aggregation, and anti-ischemia effects on AS ( Huang et al, 2011 ; Wang et al, 2015 ; Wu et al, 2017 ). Taoren Honghua drug (THD), based on a classical formula in an ancient book named Su’an Consilia , consists of blood-activating herbs.…”