Monacolin K as a Natural Alternative for Synthetic Statins

Introduction: This review paper aims to verify the safety of monacolin K, examine the effect on blood cholesterol levels, discuss the contribution to the reduction of cardiovascular risk and indicate examples of pleiotropic effects of this substance. Materials and methods: A review of chosen literature in the PubMed database was conducted, using the following key words: ,,Monacolin K”, ,,Hypercholesterolemia’’, ,,Red yeast rice’’, ,,Supplementation’’. Summary: Monacolin K is considered to be natural statin contained in fermented red rice or oyster mushroom. The use of monacolin K may contribute to the development of mild muscle pain or rhabdomyolysis, but it is noticed less frequently than in treatment with synthetic statins. In addition, there are also concerns about liver and/or kidney damage, headaches and/or dizziness, musculoskeletal symptoms and gastrointestinal disturbances in some people, especially when high doses of monacolin K are used. Monacolin K lowers the level of cholesterol in the blood and contributes to reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, monacolin K has anti-inflammatory effects and anti-cancer mechanisms. Conclusions: Monacolin K improves the lipid profile by lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) levels which indirectly reduces the cardiovascular risk with less frequently observed side effects. Monacolin K has many pleiotropic effects like anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer mechanisms by inhibiting cancer cell proliferation and stimulating apoptosis. It should be emphasized that the long-term safety of regular use of these preparations has not been fully documented. Some people taking these supplements experience side effects similar to those seen with statins. Both health benefits and side effects should be further investigated in future studies.