A team of researchers has identified the active compounds that contribute to
the health benefits of pre-germinated brown rice; the healthy components are
a related set of sterol-like molecules known as acylated
steryl-beta-glucosides (ASGs).
Pre-germinated rice (PR) is an emerging health food whereby brown rice is
soaked in warm water prior to cooking; the warm bath induces germination, or
sprouting, which stimulates rice enzymes to produce more nutrients. One such
nutrient is the important brain chemical GABA (PR is thus often referred to
as "GABA rice"), and animal studies have shown that a PR-rich diet can
improve cognitive function. Other studies have found that PR can also act as
an anti-diabetic.

The chemicals behind this effect were unknown, but now Robert Yu and
colleagues used mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance approaches
and identified the bioactive compounds as ASGs, a diverse family of
molecules that consists of a glucose derivative, fatty acids, and sterols.
The ASGs were concentrated in the rice bran (outer layer) and not the seed,
so they would not be found in white rice.

The researchers then demonstrated that the ASGs had the ability to activate
enzymes related to diabetes, and this activation required the acyl chemical
group; regular steryl glucosides (SGs) had no effect. And, although ASGs are
found in many plants, soybean derived ASGs had no effect on the diabetic
enzymes, indicating the ASG complement specific to rice may be unique in its
diabetic benefits.

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