Cholesterol lowering medications ( Lipitor, Crestor, Zocor, Mevacor, Pravachol or Lescol).
Although the supplement contains hundreds of compounds, the major active LDL-lowering ingredient is lovastatin, a chemical also found in the prescription drug Mevacor.
One of the cholesterol synthesis inhibiting chemicals in red yeast rice, monacolin K, is used in an anti-cholesterol drug manufactured by Merck & Co., known as Mevacor (also known as lovastatin and mevinolin).