Eu Yan Sang - Nanyang Polytechnic Laboratory, Block P, 504, 180 AngMo Kio Avenue 8 Singapore 569830, Singapore.
Sci Rep. 2012;2:298. doi: 10.1038/srep00298. Epub 2012 Mar 2.
Red yeast rice (RYR) is made by fermenting the yeast Monascus purpureus over rice. It is a source of natural red food colorants, a food garnish and a traditional medication. Results of the current study demonstrated that polar fractions of the RYR preparations contained herbal-drug interaction activity, which if left unremoved, enhanced P-glycoprotein activity and inhibited the major drug metabolizing cytochromes P450, i,e, CYP 1A2, 2C9 and 3A4. The data from Caco-2 cell absorption and animal model studies further demonstrated that the pharmacokinetic modulation effect by RYR preparations containing the polar fractions ("untreated" preparation) was greater than that from RYR preparations with the polar fractions removed ("treated" preparation). The data indicates a potential for herb-drug interactions to be present in RYR commonly sold as nutritional supplements when the polar fractions are not removed and this should be taken into consideration when RYR is consumed with medications, including verapamil.
红曲米（RYR）是通过在大米上发酵红曲霉菌 Monascus purpureus 制成的。它是天然红色食用色素的来源，可用于食品装饰，也是一种传统药物。目前的研究结果表明，RYR 制剂的极性部分含有草药-药物相互作用活性，如果不加以去除，会增强 P 糖蛋白的活性并抑制主要的药物代谢细胞色素 P450，即 CYP1A2、2C9 和 3A4。来自 Caco-2 细胞吸收和动物模型研究的数据进一步表明，含有极性部分的 RYR 制剂（“未处理”制剂）的药代动力学调节作用大于去除极性部分的 RYR 制剂（“处理”制剂）。当不去除极性部分时，RYR 作为营养补充剂出售时，可能存在草药-药物相互作用的风险，因此当与药物（包括维拉帕米）一起使用 RYR 时，应考虑这一点。
