Relationship between Adiponectin and Leptin, and Blood Lipids in Hyperlipidemia Patients Treated with Red Yeast Rice

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to investigate the possible relationships between adiponectin and leptin, blood lipids such as total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG) as well as other clinical biomarkers in hyperlipidemia patients treated with red yeast rice. Methods: 30 patients with primary hyperlipidemia were recruited, treated with red rice yeast capsules 600 mg twice a day for 8 weeks, and followed up for 4 weeks. The primary endpoint was the mean difference in LDL-C from baseline to week 8, while the secondary endpoints were the mean percentage changes from baseline of total cholesterol, TG, HDL-C, adiponectin, and leptin. Results: At week 8, the decrease in LDL-C and total cholesterol was -38.11 ± 30.90 mg/dl (p < 0.0001) and -44.54 ± 27.46 mg/dl (p < 0.0001), respectively, and the increase in adiponectin was 35.83 ± 67.85 μg/ml (p = 0.017) as compared to baseline. Adiponectin also correlated positively with HDL-C (r2 = 0.39; p = 0.001). Serum leptin correlated negatively with TG (r2 = 0.19; p = 0.035), and there was a trend of correlation between leptin and HDL-C, but this was not statistically significant (r2 = 0.16; p = 0.052). Conclusion: Red yeast rice can significantly increase adiponectin and can significantly lower LDL-C and total cholesterol levels. Adiponectin correlates positively with HDL-C while serum leptin correlates negatively with TG. Red yeast rice has a potentially protective effect in obesity-related and cardiovascular diseases.

Nutraceutical approach to moderate cardiometabolic risk: Results of a randomized, double-blind and crossover study with Armolipid Plus

“…30 Clinical evidence indicates that RYR treatment results in reduced leptin and increased adiponectin plasma levels. 31 In patients with MetS, berberine (300 mg three times daily) was found to reduce plasma leptin and the leptin-to-adiponectin ratio, with a moderate and nonsignificant increase of adiponectin levels. 32 Berberine has indeed been shown to inhibit adipogenesis in vitro and to promote the assembly of high molecular weight adiponectin, thus increasing the high molecular weight-to-total adiponectin ratio, which results in greater insulin sensitivity.…”

MediterrAsian Diet Products That Could Raise HDL-Cholesterol: A Systematic Review

“…Regarding the study design, out of the 7 selected studies, two were randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-groups trials [22, 28], two were randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trials [25, 27], one was a randomized and double-blind trial [24], one was a randomized and open label parallel trial [26], and one was a pre-post study [23]. …”

“…Four studies [22, 23, 25, 27] included subjects with hypercholesterolemia; two studies [26, 28] included subjects with moderate hypercholesterolemia or normal lipid levels. The remaining study [24] included subjects (i) with statin or red yeast rice treatments during the month before randomization, (ii) with a history of statin-associated myositis or rhabdomyolysis, and (iii) with a history of generalized chronic pain.…”

Authorised EU health claim for red yeast rice

“…The effects of red yeast rice on cholesterol have been widely described in the literature, notably in patients with primary hyperlipidaemia (Becker et al, 2009(Becker et al, , 2013Halbert et al, 2010;Heber et al, 1999;Lee et al, 2013;Lin et al, 2005;Verhoeven et al, 2013). In addition, red yeast rice is effective for reducing LDLcholesterol in patients with recent cardiovascular events (Zhao et al, 2003), type 2 diabetes (Giovanni et al, 2013), HIV-related dyslipidaemia (Keithley et al, 2002), or nephrotic hyperlipidaemia (Gheith et al, 2008a(Gheith et al, ,b, 2009.…”