Is Monascus Purpureus the Same as Monacolin K?
2026-01-12 18:32:35
Monascus purpureus is not the same as Monacolin K, but they are directly related: Monascus purpureus is the organism that ferments rice to produce Monacolin K, the active compound responsible for red yeast rice’s cholesterol-lowering effects, which is chemically identical to the prescription statin drug lovastatin. So, Monascus purpureus is the source, while monacolin K is the active ingredient in red yeast rice.
Healthkintai® has been dedicated to the R&D of plant extracts for more than a decade. Our Red Yeast Rice Extract Powder is produced via natural fermentation with high-quality Monascus purpureus strains and selected rice raw materials, core-enriched with standardized levels of Monacolin K (chemically equivalent to Lovastatin, CAS No.: 13222-97-0).
If you need 1%-5% Monacolin K red yeast rice extract powder (other specifications can be customized), please contact us at health@kintaibio.com.
How to Make Monacolin K by Using Monascus Purpureus?
Healthkintai®’s Red Yeast Rice Extract Powder adopts high-yield and low-toxicity Monascus purpureus as the core fermentation strain. It builds a full-chain standardized production process from strain domestication to finished product delivery, while achieving stringent control over harmful residues, delivering high-quality raw materials that are safe, stable, and highly active to customers worldwide.
We make Red Yeast Rice extract Monacolin K powder following these steps:
- Strain & Raw Material Selection: Screen and activate Monascus strains (Monascus purpureus) with high Monacolin K yield and low Citrinin content; pretreat non-genetically modified (non-GM) rice and other raw materials (including sterilization and moisture adjustment).
- Fermentation: First scale up strain cultivation in seed tanks, then transfer to fermenters (solid/liquid state). Control temperature, humidity, and other conditions to facilitate Monascus fermentation for Monacolin K synthesis (fermentation cycle: 7-15 days).
- Extraction & Purification: Extract monacolin K from fermented products using ethanol, remove impurities through filtration, concentration, and column chromatography, and further purify via recrystallization.
- Drying & Forming: Obtain powdered products through spray drying.
- Quality Control & Finished Products: Test key indicators such as Monacolin K content, Citrinin residue, and heavy metals via HPLC and other methods. Qualified products are delivered (suitable for scenarios including dietary supplements and pharmaceutical raw materials).
How IS Monascus Purpureus Used?
Monascus purpureus is the most extensively studied and widely used representative strain of the Monascus genus.
In the Health Products Field
Monascus purpureus has become the preferred strain for functional red yeast rice extract production, thanks to its four core advantages: high yield of Monacolin K (the core lipid-lowering component), high-purity Monascus pigments, low citrinin residue, and stable metabolites.
In the Food and Beverage Field
Monascus purpureus is an extremely valuable natural multi-functional fermentative strain in the food and beverage industry. Thanks to its three core advantages of natural coloring, antibacterial preservation, and flavor enhancement, it has become an ideal alternative to chemically synthesized pigments and preservatives amid the clean label trend.
In Cosmetics Field
The high-purity Monascus pigments produced during the fermentation of Monascus purpureus range from red to orange hues, featuring natural and vibrant colors as well as excellent light stability. These pigments can directly serve as natural colorants for colored cosmetic products, such as lipsticks, blushes, and eyeshadows, replacing chemically synthesized pigments and eliminating the risks of heavy metal residues and skin allergies.
How IS Monacolin K Used?
In the Pharmaceutical Field
Natural monacolin K derived from the fermentation of Monascus purpureus mostly exists in an open-loop active form. It can take effect directly without hydrolysis catalyzed by hepatic carboxylesterase, thus effectively alleviating the metabolic burden on the liver.
In addition, it can be used in combination with aspirin, antihypertensive drugs, and other medications to help improve the blood lipid indicators of patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease and cerebral infarction.
In the Dietary Supplements Field
Monacolin K, as a natural phytostatin-like active ingredient, serves as a core raw material for targeted lipid regulation in the field of dietary supplements. In addition, monacolin K can be compounded with ingredients such as coenzyme Q10, nattokinase, and phytosterols to create compound formulations for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular care.
Monacolin K Extracted from Red Yeast Rice for Sale
- Healthkintai®’s Monacolin K extracted from red yeast rice is made from high-quality rice, which is converted into an active red yeast rice matrix via precision fermentation with Monascus purpureus.
- Core-enriched with standardized levels of Monacolin K (chemically equivalent to Lovastatin, CAS No.: 13222-97-0), it boasts both natural lipid-lowering activity and high safety, with strictly controlled Citrinin residues.
- Featuring excellent solubility and superior formulation compatibility, this powdered product can be directly applied to diverse scenarios such as dietary supplements, functional foods, and pharmaceutical intermediates without complicated pre-treatment. With stable ingredient content and pure natural fermentation properties, it serves as your ideal raw material for developing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health products.
- Our company holds a complete range of export qualification certificates and complies with the quality standards of the EU, the United States, and other countries.
