Whole fat rice bran reduces the development of early aortic atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic hamsters compared with wheat bran

Abstract

In this study, Golden Syrian hamsters were fed a nonpurified hypercholesterolemic diet containing 10% coconut oil, 0.05% cholesterol and 20% wheat bran for 2 weeks (HCD) and based on mean plasma cholesterol levels were divided into four groups of 15. Hamsters were then fed the HCD or the HCD containing either 20% de-fatted rice bran (rice fiber), 20% heat-stabilized whole fat rice bran (WFRB), or 20% oat bran in place of wheat bran for 10 weeks. The rice fiber, WFRB, and oat bran diets significantly lowered plasma total cholesterol and very low- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels compared to the wheat bran diet with no reductions in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Also, the WFRB diet significantly lowered plasma nonHDL-C levels compared to the rice fiber and oat bran diets. Aortic fatty streak formation was significantly reduced by WFRB diet compared to the wheat bran and rice fiber diets but not the oat bran. This study shows that whole fat rice bran reduces plasma cholesterol levels and the development of early aortic atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic hamsters similar to oat bran.