Effects of gamma-oryzanol on serum lipids and apolipoproteins in dyslipidemic schizophrenics receiving major tranquilizers.

Clin Ther, 12(3):263-8 1990 May-Jun

The subjects were 20 chronic schizophrenic patients with dyslipidemia (total cholesterol levels greater than or equal to 220 mg/dl, triglycerides greater than or equal to 150 mg/dl, or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol less than or equal to 40 mg/dl) who had been receiving neuroleptics for a mean of ten years. Each patient was given 100 mg of gamma-oryzanol three times daily for 16 weeks. Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, respectively, decreased significantly, from 204 and 124 mg/dl at baseline to 176 and 101 mg/dl at week 12. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were 36.1 mg/dl at baseline and 35.9 mg/dl at week 12. Apolipoprotein (apo) B levels decreased significantly from 116 mg/dl to 101 mg/dl at week 16; apo A-II levels increased significantly from 31.7 mg/dl to 34.7 mg/dl; and the apo B/apo A-I ratio declined significantly from 0.99 to 0.84. No treatment side effects were recorded. It is concluded that gamma-oryzanol is safe and effective in the treatment of dyslipidemia.




Effect of gamma-oryzanol on serum TSH concentrations in primary hypothyroidism.

Endocrinol Jpn, 12(3):83-6 1980 Feb

A single oral dose (300 mg) of gamma-oryzanol extracted from rice-bran oil produced a significant reduction on the elevated serum TSH levels in hypothyroid patients. Similarly, chronic treatment with gamma-oryzanol resulted in decreased serum TSH levels in 6 of 8 patients. There was no change in the serum levels of thyroxine-iodine and triiodothyronine during the study. In addition, there was no difference in the serum TSH response to TRH in hypothyroid patients and normal subjects. These observations suggest that gamma-oryzanol inhibits serum TSH levels in patients with primary hypothyroidism, possibly by a direct action at the hypothalamus rather than the pituitary.




Oryzanol decreases cholesterol absorption and aortic fatty streaks in hamsters.

Lipids, 32(3):303-9 1997 Mar

Oryzanol is a class of nonsaponifiable lipids of rice bran oil (RBO). More specifically, oryzanol is a group of ferulic acid esters of triterpene alcohol and plant sterols. In experiment 1, the mechanisms of the cholesterol-lowering action of oryzanol were investigated in 32 hamsters made hypercholesterolemic by feeding chow-based diets containing 5% coconut oil and 0.1% cholesterol with or without 1% oryzanol for 7 wk. Relative to the control animals, oryzanol treatment resulted in a significant reduction in plasma total cholesterol (TC) (28%, P <0.01) and the sum of IDL-C, LDL-C, and VLDL-C (NON-HDL-C) (34%, P <0.01). In addition, the oryzanol-treated animals also exhibited a 25% reduction in percent cholesterol absorption vs. control animals. Endogenous cholesterol synthesis, as measured by the liver and intestinal HMG-CoA reductase activities, showed no difference between the two groups. To determine whether a lower dose of oryzanol was also efficacious and to measure aortic fatty streaks, 19 hamsters in experiment 2 were divided into two groups and fed for 10 wk chow-based diets containing 0.05% cholesterol and 10% coconut oil (w/w) (control) and the control diet plus 0.5% oryzanol (oryzanol). Relative to the control, oryzanol-treated hamsters had reduced plasma TC (44%, P <0.001), NON-HDL-C (57%, P <0.01), and triglyceride (TG) (46%, P <0.05) concentrations. Despite a 12% decrease in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (P <0.01), the oryzanol-treated animals maintained a more optimum NON-HDL-C/HDL-C profile (1.1 +/- 0.4) than the control (2.5 +/- 1.4; P <0.0075). Aortic fatty streak formation, so defined by the degree of accumulation of Oil Red O-stained macrophage-derived foam cells, was reduced 67% (P <0.01) in the oryzanol-treated animals. From these studies, it is concluded that a constituent of the non-saponifiable lipids of RBO, oryzanol, is at least partially responsible for the cholesterol-lowering action of RBO. In addition, the cholesterol-lowering action of oryzanol was associated with significant reductions in aortic fatty streak formation.




Effects of gamma-oryzanol on serum lipids and apolipoproteins in dyslipidemic schizophrenics receiving major tranquilizers.

Clin Ther, 12(3):263-8 1990 May-Jun

The subjects were 20 chronic schizophrenic patients with dyslipidemia (total cholesterol levels greater than or equal to 220 mg/dl, triglycerides greater than or equal to 150 mg/dl, or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol less than or equal to 40 mg/dl) who had been receiving neuroleptics for a mean of ten years. Each patient was given 100 mg of gamma-oryzanol three times daily for 16 weeks. Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, respectively, decreased significantly, from 204 and 124 mg/dl at baseline to 176 and 101 mg/dl at week 12. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were 36.1 mg/dl at baseline and 35.9 mg/dl at week 12. Apolipoprotein (apo) B levels decreased significantly from 116 mg/dl to 101 mg/dl at week 16; apo A-II levels increased significantly from 31.7 mg/dl to 34.7 mg/dl; and the apo B/apo A-I ratio declined significantly from 0.99 to 0.84. No treatment side effects were recorded. It is concluded that gamma-oryzanol is safe and effective in the treatment of dyslipidemia.




Effect of gamma-oryzanol on serum TSH concentrations in primary hypothyroidism.

Endocrinol Jpn, 12(3):83-6 1980 Feb

A single oral dose (300 mg) of gamma-oryzanol extracted from rice-bran oil produced a significant reduction on the elevated serum TSH levels in hypothyroid patients. Similarly, chronic treatment with gamma-oryzanol resulted in decreased serum TSH levels in 6 of 8 patients. There was no change in the serum levels of thyroxine-iodine and triiodothyronine during the study. In addition, there was no difference in the serum TSH response to TRH in hypothyroid patients and normal subjects. These observations suggest that gamma-oryzanol inhibits serum TSH levels in patients with primary hypothyroidism, possibly by a direct action at the hypothalamus rather than the pituitary.




Oryzanol decreases cholesterol absorption and aortic fatty streaks in hamsters.

Lipids, 32(3):303-9 1997 Mar

Oryzanol is a class of nonsaponifiable lipids of rice bran oil (RBO). More specifically, oryzanol is a group of ferulic acid esters of triterpene alcohol and plant sterols. In experiment 1, the mechanisms of the cholesterol-lowering action of oryzanol were investigated in 32 hamsters made hypercholesterolemic by feeding chow-based diets containing 5% coconut oil and 0.1% cholesterol with or without 1% oryzanol for 7 wk. Relative to the control animals, oryzanol treatment resulted in a significant reduction in plasma total cholesterol (TC) (28%, P <0.01) and the sum of IDL-C, LDL-C, and VLDL-C (NON-HDL-C) (34%, P <0.01). In addition, the oryzanol-treated animals also exhibited a 25% reduction in percent cholesterol absorption vs. control animals. Endogenous cholesterol synthesis, as measured by the liver and intestinal HMG-CoA reductase activities, showed no difference between the two groups. To determine whether a lower dose of oryzanol was also efficacious and to measure aortic fatty streaks, 19 hamsters in experiment 2 were divided into two groups and fed for 10 wk chow-based diets containing 0.05% cholesterol and 10% coconut oil (w/w) (control) and the control diet plus 0.5% oryzanol (oryzanol). Relative to the control, oryzanol-treated hamsters had reduced plasma TC (44%, P <0.001), NON-HDL-C (57%, P <0.01), and triglyceride (TG) (46%, P <0.05) concentrations. Despite a 12% decrease in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (P <0.01), the oryzanol-treated animals maintained a more optimum NON-HDL-C/HDL-C profile (1.1 +/- 0.4) than the control (2.5 +/- 1.4; P <0.0075). Aortic fatty streak formation, so defined by the degree of accumulation of Oil Red O-stained macrophage-derived foam cells, was reduced 67% (P <0.01) in the oryzanol-treated animals. From these studies, it is concluded that a constituent of the non-saponifiable lipids of RBO, oryzanol, is at least partially responsible for the cholesterol-lowering action of RBO. In addition, the cholesterol-lowering action of oryzanol was associated with significant reductions in aortic fatty streak formation.