Rice bran treatment for hypercalciuric patients with urinary calculous disease

We report on the efficacy of rice bran in hypercalciuric patients with urinary calculous disease. After the administration of defatted rice bran at a dosage of 20 gm. daily for 4 weeks urinary calcium excretion was reduced significantly from 402 plus or minus 102 to 291 plus or minus 123 mg. per 24 hours. In 6 patients who showed a reduction of urinary calcium excretion an increase in urinary calcium excretion was observed 4 weeks after stopping the administration. All 7 patients who previously received defatted rice bran were given processed or rice bran free of phytin at a dosage of 20 gm. daily. The value of urinary calcium excretion increased again during the administration of processed rice bran but was less marked than that of the preceding 6 patients. Although it is interesting to debate whether the influence of rice bran on the urinary calcium excretion depends on the action of phytin or of other constituents defatted rice bran should be effective in reducing urinary excretion of calcium. These results would come up to the expectations of the patients with recurrent urinary calculous disease.