Fig. 1: Rice bran peptides extend the healthspan of middle-aged mice.

A Experimental design and survival curves. Administration of rice bran peptide at varying concentrations (10 mg/kg, 30 mg/kg) via gastric gavage to 14-month-old mice until they reached 24 months of age, twice weekly. The Control group received an equivalent volume of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Survival curves were plotted (n = 20). B Photographs of mouse appearance. Images of the external appearance of mice from the Control group and the rice bran peptide intervention groups after 10 months (n = 3). Scale bar, 1 cm. C Representative histopathological images of mouse tissues and organs (aorta, skin, liver, kidney, colon) stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). Scale bars, 200 μm and 50 μm. D Representative micro-CT images of the mouse femur. On the left are the coronal and mid-sagittal views of the growth plate and trabecular bone. Scale bar, 1 mm. On the right are the longitudinal, tangential, and lateral sections of the mid-shaft scan. Scale bar, 2 mm. E Quantitative micro-CT analysis. Comparison of bone volume per tissue volume (BV/TV%) between the Control group and the rice bran peptide intervention groups in mice (n = 6). Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post hoc tests for multiple group comparisons. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001, ns indicates no significant difference between groups.