Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the major cereal food crops in the world. It
serves as a principal source of carbohydrate. Rice is also traditionally used for
therapeutic purposes. The health promoting properties of brown rice has generated
research interest. The health promoting properties are attributed to the bioactive
compounds in the rice bran. These include vitamins, minerals, phenolic compounds, γ -
oryzanol, tocopherols, tocotrienols, anthocyanins, phytosterols and dietary fibre. The
concentration of bioactive properties is more in pigmented rice varieties. The bioactives
in rice impart cholesterol reduction, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-diabetic and
anti-oxidative effects. Ferulic acid is the major phenolic acid in rice whose esters
predominantly form γ-oryzanol and remains in the human blood stream for longer time
than other phenolics thereby offering greater radical scavenging efficiency. The rice
bran anthocyanin pigments contribute to the total phenolic and antioxidant properties of
rice to a notable extent. The tocols also are potent antioxidants. Both in vivo and in
vitro experiments have ascertained the effect of these compounds in animals and
human beings. The bioactive potential of rice has been found to widely vary with
variety, extent of polishing and processing. Cooking steaming, parboiling, fermentation
and germination of rice result in marked changes in proportion and activities of
different bioactive components. This chapter focuses on the bioactive compounds in
rice, the potential health benefits of rice consumption, and processing effects on
bioactivity.
Keywords: Anti-cancer, Anthocyanin, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Bioactive
compounds, Bran, Cooking, Fermentation, Ferulic acid, Non-pigmented rice, γ
oryzanol, Parboiling, Phenolics, Pigmented rice, Plasma cholesterol, Rice,
Therapeutic, Tocopherols, Tocotrienols, Tricin.
