Antihyperlipidaemic effect of a Monascus purpureus brand dietary supplement on a large sample of subjects at low risk for cardiovascular disease: a pilot study.

CICERO, ARRIGO FRANCESCO GIUSEPPE
M. Brancaleoni
L. Laghi
F. Donati
M. Mino

Publication date

January 2005

DOI

10.1016/j.ctim.2005.07.008

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: We planned to carry out a pilot study to evaluate the efficacy and safety as an antihypercholesterolemic agent of a brand dietary supplement made of Monascus purpureus titrated extract, octacosanols and niacin on 111 Caucasian patients with low cardiovascular disease risk (<20% by Framingham algorithms), comparing them with the antihypercholesterolemic effect of a low dosage of Pravastatin on 20 subjects with similar risk profile. RESULTS: In our study, the tested dietary supplement determined a significant decrease of Total Cholesterol (TC), Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C), and Triglycerides (TG) in moderately hypercholesterolemic subjects without clinically relevant change in liver and muscular toxicity marker...