红曲是以大米为原料,经红曲霉发酵制成的紫红色米曲。在我国已有一千多年药食两用的历史。红曲可有效降低血中胆固醇,因为它含有HMG-CoA还原酶的竞争性抑制剂monacolin K。除了降脂效果以外,红曲还具有降压、降血糖、抗肥胖、防治老年痴呆及骨质疏松等功效。本文综述了近年来红曲的生物活性及药理活性方面的研究,使红曲的药用价值得到进一步的认识,并使红曲的应用前景更广阔。 Monascus is based on rice as raw material, made by the fermentation of Monascus fuchsia rice song. In our country has more than one thousand years of history of edible. Monascus is effective in lowering blood cholesterol because it contains monacolin K, a competitive inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase. In addition to lipid-lowering effect, the red song also has antihypertensive, hypoglycemic, anti-obesity, prevention and treatment of senile dementia and osteoporosis and other effects. This review summarizes the research on the biological activity and pharmacological activity of Monascus in recent years, and further understanding of the medicinal value of Monascus and further application of Monascus.