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Increasing numbers of diabetic patients, especially those with type II, can link their condition to changes in eating habits. Black rice and red rice are not only a source of carbohydrate but also rich sources of antioxidants, especially proanthocyanidins and anthocyanins. This study determines the effect consuming a black rice extract (BRE) or a red rice extract (RRE) on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Blood levels of glucose, triglycerides, and cholesterol in the diabetic group were determined and compared to that of the control group. The results demonstrate that consumption of BRE, 50 mg/kg body weight (BW), or RRE, 100 mg/kg BW, could significantly reduce the blood glucose level of the diabetic rats after eight weeks. Consumption of BRE, 100 mg/kg BW or RRE, 50 mg/kg BW, also clearly decreased the triglyceride level. The cholesterol level in the diabetic group fed with BRE or RRE decreased as well. Thus daily consumption of black rice, red rice, or having their extracts in food supplements may prevent the onset of diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic disease characterized by relapsing and diffuse colonic inflammation. Currently, natural products are necessarily sought to ameliorate the UC. Red rice is a rich source of proanthocyanidin with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Proanthocyanidin-rich red rice extract has been also associated with a decreased production of inflammatory cytokines in vitro study. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to elucidate the protective effect of proanthocyanidin-rich red rice extract (PRR) on UC in mice. Methods Male C57BL/6 mice were treated with PRR for 21 days. At the day 15 to 21 of the pretreatment with PRR, colitis was induced with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) 2.5 % for 7 days. The positive group was treated with sulfasalazine. At the end of the experiment, clinical symptoms, histological and biological marker were analyzed. Results The pretreatment with PRR ameliorated DSS-induced colitis by protecting body weight change, reducing bleeding and restoring of the colon length. PRR significantly reduced DSS induced severe mucosal inflammation, an increased loss of crypts, and inflammatory cell infiltration. Moreover, DSS induced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 were significantly reduced in the pretreatment with PRR. Conclusions Our results suggest that the PRR ameliorated DSS-induced colitis accompanied by the protection of mucosal damages and reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. Thus, red rice could have therapeutic potential for the management of inflammatory bowel disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]