Effects of Pre-Germinated Brown Rice

Effects of pre-germinated brown rice on beta-amyloid protein-induced learning and memory deficits in mice.
Biol Pharm Bull. 2004 Jul;27(7):1041-5.
Mamiya T, Asanuma T, Kise M, Ito Y, Mizukuchi A, Aoto H, Ukai M.
Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan.

We evaluated the effects of pre-germinated brown rice (hatsuga genmai, PGR) on learning and memory and compared them with those of polished rice or cornstarch. In mice that were fed pellets of polished rice or PGR for two weeks, the learning ability in the Morris water maze test was significantly enhanced compared with mice that were fed cornstarch pellets. In the Y-maze test, the intake of food pellets for two weeks failed to affect spontaneous alternation behavior. Beta-amyloid(25-35) (Abeta(25-35): 3 nmol/mouse, i.c.v.) protein impaired spontaneous alternation behavior in mice that were fed pellets of cornstarch or polished rice. In contrast, PGR pellets prevented the Abeta(25-35)-induced impairment of spontaneous alternation behavior. These results suggest that polished rice and PGR have facilitating effects on spatial learning. In particular, it is surmised that Pre-germinated rice may prevent Alzheimer’s disease associated with Abeta.