Oryzanol is a mixture of various bioactive compounds (mainly esters of ferulic acid with different sterols). It is isolated from rice bran oil and, in scientific studies, has displayed some interesting antioxidant properties (more powerful than expected) which have made the way for significant anti-inflammatory activity.
It has found its way into several different skincare products such as sunscreens, moisturizers, and anti-aging creams, although there is insufficient evidence of its benefits in these.
One study tested various formulations with rice bran extract on 30 volunteers for a month and reported greater levels of hydration, increased skin thickness, improved skin roughness, and better elasticity, although it is not known whether this was due to the oryzanol or the other compounds from rice bran.
Science
1
Lemus, C., Angelis, A., Halabalaki, M., & Skaltsounis, A. L. (2014). γ-Oryzanol. Wheat and Rice in Disease Prevention and Health, 409–430.
2
Manosroi, A., Chutoprapat, R., Abe, M., Manosroi, W., & Manosroi, J. (2012). Anti-aging efficacy of topical formulations containing niosomes entrapped with rice bran bioactive compounds. Pharmaceutical Biology, 50(2), 208–224.
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