 Clinical end-point trials have demonstrated that lowering cholesterol levels with statins reduces the incidence of cardiovascular events and mortality. Subgroup analyses of the large clinical studies, the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention WOSCOP and Cholesterol and Recurrent Events CARE, have suggested that the beneficial effects of statins may extend to mechanisms beyond cholesterol reduction. A variety of mechanisms accounting for these effects have been suggested. Among these, the anti-inflammatory activity is particularly attractive because inflammation is considered an early step in the development of atherosclerosis. Thus, statin therapy has been shown to lower high-sensitivity C-reactive protein CRP, a plasma marker of inflammation, in hypercholesterolemic patients. Furthermore, statins may possess anti-inflammatory properties by their ability to reduce the number of inflammatory cells in atherosclerotic plaques. Red Yeast Rice contains Lovastatin and lowers LDL-cholesterol. However, it is not known to what degree Red Yeast Rice may lower LDL-cholesterol in a European population. Some reports have suggested an effect of Red Yeast Rice on fasting blood glucose by an unknown mechanism. 