Certain Red Yeast Rice Supplements in Japan Cause Acute Tubulointerstitial Injury
Yusuke Murata, Seiichiro Hemmi, Yurie Akiya, Kota Miyasato, Hiroki Kobayashi, Takashi Maruyama, Masanori Abe
Abstract
Historically, red yeast rice (Red koji) has been a cornerstone in the culinary and medicinal traditions of East Asia, contributing to the production of alcoholic beverages, fermented foods, and, notably, tofuyo—a fermented tofu delicacy originating from Okinawa, Japan, since the eighteenth century (Supplementary Figure S1, S2). The discovery of monacolin K, a natural statin, within Monascus fungi catalyzed the development of lovastatin, heralding a new era in hyperlipidemia management worldwide.
Topics & Concepts
Red yeast riceMedicineLovastatinMonascusMonascus purpureusDelicacyTraditional medicineFood scienceFermentationCholesterolBiologyAlternative medicineInternal medicineEcologyPathologyMicrobial Metabolism and ApplicationsTea Polyphenols and Effects