Rosuvastatin

Also indexed as: Crestor

About rosuvastatin

Rosuvastatin is used along with dietary changes to reduce total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol and fat levels in the blood, and to increase HDL ("good") cholesterol levels. It belongs to a class of drugs called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.

Summary of Interactions with Vitamins, Herbs, and Foods
In some cases, an herb or supplement may appear in more than one category, which may seem contradictory. For clarification, read the full article for details about the summarized interactions.

May be Beneficial: Supportive interaction—Taking these supplements may support or otherwise help your medication work better.	Sitostanol Vitamin B3 (niacin)
Avoid: Adverse interaction—Avoid these supplements when taking this medication because taking them together may cause undesirable or dangerous results.	Pomegranate juice* Red yeast rice Vitamin B3 (niacin)*
Depletion or interference	None known
Side effect reduction/prevention	None known
Reduced drug absorption/bioavailability	None known

An asterisk (*) next to an item in the summary indicates that the interaction is supported only by weak, fragmentary, and/or contradictory scientific evidence.

Interactions with Dietary Supplements

Vitamin B3 (niacin)
A recent blinded study showed that individuals taking both rosuvastatin and niacin had a greater increase in HDL (“good”) cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-I than did those taking rosuvastatin alone.¹ People taking rosuvastatin might benefit from taking niacin, though they should consult with their doctor before starting the supplement. When taken with niacin, some statin drugs may become more toxic so there is a possibility of an adverse interaction.

Sitostanol
A synthetic molecule related to beta-sitosterol, sitostanol, is available in a special margarine and has been shown to lower cholesterol levels. In one study, supplementing with 1.8 grams of sitostanol per day for six weeks enhanced the cholesterol-lowering effect of various statin drugs.²

Interactions with Herbs

Red yeast rice (Monascus purpureas)
A supplement containing red yeast rice (Cholestin) has been shown to effectively lower cholesterol and triglycerides in people with moderately elevated levels of these blood lipids.³ This extract contains small amounts of naturally occurring HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors such as lovastatin and should not be used if you are currently taking a statin medication.

Interactions with Food and Other Compounds

Pomegranate juice
In a case report, a man taking rosuvastatin developed severe muscle damage (rhabdomyolysis), a known side effect of rosuvastatin, after he began drinking pomegranate juice (about 6 ounces twice a week). While a cause–effect relationship was not proven, the authors of this report suggested that pomegranate may have increased the toxicity of rosuvastatin by slowing the rate at which the body broke it down.⁴

References

1. Capuzzi DM, Morgan JM, Weiss RJ, et al. Beneficial effects of rosuvastatin alone and in combination with extended-release niacin in patients with a combined hyperlipidemia and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Am J Cardiol 2003;91:1304–10.

2. Goldberg AC, Ostlund RE Jr, Bateman JH, et al. Effect of plant stanol tablets on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol lowering in patients on statin drugs. Am J Cardiol 2006;97:376–9.

3. Heber D, Yip I, Ashley JM, et al. Cholesterol-lowering effects of a proprietary Chinese red-yeast-rice dietary supplement. Am J Clin Nutr 1999;69:231–6.

4. Sorokin AV, Duncan B, Panetta R, Thompson PD. Rhabdomyolysis associated with pomegranate juice consumption. Am J Cardiol 2006;98:705–6.

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Learn more about the authors of Using Medicines with Vitamins and Herbs

The information presented in Healthnotes is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or chemist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires September 2008.

2007-09-01

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About rosuvastatin

Interactions with Dietary Supplements

Interactions with Herbs

Interactions with Food and Other Compounds

References