Comparison of the Efficacy of Pre-Germinated Brown Rice Extract and γ-Oryzanol against Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Cardiac Complications Induced by a High-Fructose/Fat Diet

This animal experiment aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the extract of pre-germinated brown rice (EP) and γ-oryzanol on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the cardiac complications associated with it. WKY rats were fed high-fructose water (HFW) and high-fat diet (HFD) for 4 wk to induce NAFLD. The other two groups were fed HFW and HFD, while oral administration of EP 200 μL/kg or γ-oryzanol 2 mg/kg every day for 4 wk. NAFLD was successfully induced in as evidenced by clear increases in body, hepatic and cardiac weight as well as by increases in blood pressure and heart rate, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperuricemia, higher liver function index: glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), higher levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the blood and higher levels TG in the liver. NAFLD rats also had adverse changes the protein expressions of lipid synthesis, inflammation, cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy. However, when the NAFLD rats were simultaneously fed EP or γ-oryzanol, the development of adverse diet-induced effects, including glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), were clearly ameliorated. Specifically, EP could reduce uric acid levels, while γ-oryzanol did not. EP, as well as γ-oryzanol, reversed the increases in levels of lipid synthesis, inflammation, cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy. We concluded that EP effectively prevented HFW/HFD-induced NAFLD and its associated cardiac complications, which it likely achieved through an improvement of lipid homeostasis and inhibition of inflammation. We believe that EP, like γ-oryzanol, can be developed as a beneficial agent for the prevention and control of NAFLD and associated cardiac dysfunction.