COMPARATIVE HYPOCHOLESTEROLEMIC ACTIVITIES OF ORYZANOL, CURCUMIN AND FERULIC ACID IN RATS

The hypocholestemlemic effect of oryzanol, a mixture of ferulic acid e sters of sterols and triterpenols, isolated from rice bran oil was com pared with that of curcumin (diferuloyl methane, the yellow pigment of turmeric) and ferulic acid. Feeding 0.5% oryzanol, 0.15% curcumin or 75 mg% ferulic acid in the 1% cholesterol containing diet (HCD) for 7 weeks caused a significant decrease in serum total cholesterol as well as (LDL + VLDL) cholesterol and an increase in HDL cholesterol. Serum lipoprotein (LDL+VLDL) concentration was also decreased. The ratio of LDL-cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol which was 24.9 on the HCD was decr eased by 40% by oryzanol, 21% by curcumin and 24% by ferulic acid. Ory zanol and curcumin lowered liver cholesterol levels, whereas ferulic a cid was not effective. Oryzanol was a better hypocholesterolemic agent than curcumin or ferulic acid.