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To investigate clinical effects of rice bran fiber and cholestyramine therapy in Yusho, peripheral blood cells and biochemical parameters were studied before and after therapy in eleven healthy volunteers and four patients with Yusho who were treated with rice bran fiber 30 g/day and cholestyramine 12 g/day for 7 days. In healthy volunteers, a significant elevation in total leukocyte counts as well as lymphocyte counts was observed after therapy (leukocyte p less than 0.005, and lymphocyte, p less than 0.01). In lymphocyte subpopulations, significant elevations were found in CD3- and B1-positive cells (CD3, p less than 0.05 and B1, p less than 0.001). However, no significant effect of the treatment was observed in reticulocyte counts or platelet counts. In biochemical parameters, total cholesterol levels decreased significantly, from 208 +/- 36 mg/dl (mean +/- SD) to 173 +/- 30 mg/dl (p less than 0.001), after therapy. HDL-cholesterol levels were also reduced significantly after therapy (from 50 +/- 12 to 46 +/- 13/mg/dl; p less than 0.05). Serum triglyceride levels increased significantly, from 155 +/- 96 to 195 +/- 133 mg/dl (p less than 0.05), after therapy. A significant increase was observed in serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, while significant depressions were found in serum levels of total bilirubin, total protein, gamma-globulin, creatinine, and calcium. In four Yusho patients who received rice bran fiber and cholestyramine therapy twice with more than one month interval, the clinical effects of therapy in addition to biochemical effects were studied. An only significant effect was observed in serum levels of total cholesterol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)