A group of scientists from the University of Seville affirms that the enzymatic extract of rice bran minimizes the risk factors associated with obesity. The team is working on the production of new types of food that allow weight control.
The study was conducted with Zucker rats, a genetic model used in obesity and hypertension studies. The animals manifested the so-called metabolic syndrome, a combination of risk factors in the same individual that increase their probability of suffering from cardiovascular disease. These factors include obesity and insulin resistance. The researchers observed that in mice treated with rice bran, cholesterol and triglyceride levels improved and their insulin resistance state decreased. In addition, the extract prevented the increase in blood pressure and reduced the inflammatory state associated with obesity.
María Dolores Herrera González, director of the research, explained that the objective of this type of study is to know the benefits of drugs and substances of natural origin for the treatment of pathologies such as hypertension or arteriosclerosis. In addition, the team is also working on the development of new possibilities for the therapeutic application of olive oil and in research with foods that can allow weight control and obesity prevention.
