Wheat bran with unbound ferulic acid does not alter obesity, insulin resistance or fatty liver in obese rats compared to wheat bran with bound ferulic acid (829.22)

Ferulic acid, the major phenolic acid found in wheat bran, has antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties. However, almost all is bound to arabinoxylans and is therefore minimally absorbed. In this study, we determined the effect of wheat bran with bound and unbound (released by a fermentation process) ferulic acid on the development of obesity, insulin resistance and fatty liver in a model of diet‐induced obesity. Rats were fed a high fat diet (35% fat by weight) containing no wheat bran (CON) or 15% wheat bran with either bound (BF; 300 mg/kg diet; 2% free ferulic acid) or unbound (UF; 318 mg/kg diet; 47% free ferulic acid) ferulic acid. After 8 weeks, the BF and UF groups were not different in body weight, epididymal fat pad weight or area under the curve for glucose and insulin tolerance tests compared to the CON group, indicating that 15% wheat bran does not influence adiposity or insulin resistance. However, BF and UF reduced liver lipid levels compared to the CON group, suggesting a decrease in fatty liver. There was no reduction in bodyweight, epididymal fat pad weight, insulin resistance or liver lipids in the UF group compared to the BF group. Additionally, plasma C‐reactive protein, lipopolysaccharide and 24h urinary TBARS did not differ between the UF and BF groups. Wheat bran processed to release ferulic acid offered no apparent advantage relative to unprocessed wheat bran. Grant Funding Source : Supported by Healthy Foods Healthy Lives, Univ. of MN