sleeping problem and oryzanol

My sister ( 28 years old) has sleeping problem for several months. She always wakes up in mitnight and can not fall asleep again. So she has 2-3 hours for sleeping almost everyday.. This makes she crazy. Recently someone recommends her to take oryzanol. It works immediately. She has very good sleeping after taking oryzanol. This makes me worry.Any side effect will come with? Anything has quick effect sems not so safe for me... Anyone can tell me that whether oryzanol is safe or not? Any side effect?

[Dr Santos]

Hi,
How is your sister? Gamma oryzanol is a substance that is taken out of rice bran oil and can also be found in wheat bran and some fruits and vegetables. This is usually indicated for high cholesterol and symptoms of menopause and aging. The potential side effects of gamma oryzanol are not fully identified because studies are limited (ref: http://www.drugs.com/npc/gamma-oryzanol.html)
If your sister has difficulty  getting back to sleep after waking during the night, she may be suffering from insomnia.  A sleep diary and further evaluation by a sleep specialist may help. Lifestyle changes  and good sleep hygiene may also be very beneficial to her. Take care and do keep us posted.