Hypoglycemic effect of biscuits produced from flour blends of three medicinal foods on high-fat diet-streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

The study evaluated the hypoglycemic effect of biscuits produced from flour blends of three medicinal foods (Unripe plantain fruits, Moringa seed, and pigeon pea) on high-fat diet (HFD)/streptozotocin (STZ)-induced (HFD/STZ) diabetic rats. The formulated biscuits were produced at different proportion of the flour blends and fed to HFD-STZ-induced diabetic rats for 14 days. The result showed that the formulated biscuits caused a significant increase in pancreas, liver, and kidney antioxidant molecules, decreased the production of thiobarbituric reactive acid species (TBARS) in pancreas, liver, and kidney homogenates, and reduced pancreatic α-amylase and intestinal α-glucosidase activities as against untreated diabetic rats. In conclusion, the use of formulated biscuits from the blends of flours from unripe plantain, Moringa seed, and pigeon pea could serve as functional food toward the treatment/management of diabetes and its possible complications such as diabetes-induced liver and kidney damage. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The drug use in the management of diabetes such as acarbose have been reported to have side effects, while diet therapy is gaining much interest in the management of diabetes. Hence, there is a need for diets base therapy that will not only cure diabetes, but also combat its complications. In sight of this, unripe plantain, Moringa seed, and pigeon pea flours were blended and used to produce functional biscuits for diabetic rats. The biscuit could be produced on the large scale under hygienic and regulated condition.

A preliminary study of fonio-moringa seed meal-based complementary food in Wistar rats.

Effect of fonio-moringa seed meal (FMSM)-based complementary food in Wistar rats was assessed in a 28 days balanced study. Seventy, 21-day-old Wistar rats were allotted to seven groups in a completely randomized design. Infant weaning foods (IWFs) 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 had 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% FMSM inclusion levels, respectively, while two commercial IWFs purchased were coded CFT and CFC. The water absorption capacity, swelling power, and the pasting properties, except peak time varied (p < .05) among the IWFs. Rats fed on IWFs 3 and 4 had comparable weight gain with those fed on the commercial foods. The heart and kidney relative weights were influenced (p < .05), while villus length (duodenum) of the rats were significant (p < .05). The blood indices were not significant, but the alanine aminotransferase and cholesterol levels ranged 15.65-32.25 µ/dl and 75.75-94.55 mg/100 ml, respectively. Incorporation of 10% FMSM is recommended in IWFs. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The need to reduce hunger and starvation among the less-privileged people in society is becoming increasingly important. Specifically, many infants, preschool and school children are often not having access to nutritive foods that will enhance their mental alertness. The commercial IWFs on sale in Nigeria are in most cases high in prices and consequently out of the reach of the populace. Fonio is a starchy grain with an important potential not only as a survival food but as a compliment for standard diets. Also, moringa seed is known to be of nutritional value. Most infant formulae are based on maize and soybean and it is hoped that the incorporation of FMSM in the infant weaning formula will help to increase the nutritive value and stem the cost of IWFs.

Neem, pawpaw and bamboo leaf meal dietary supplementation in broiler chickens: Effect on performance and health status.

The effect of the diet supplemented with leaf meals (LM) of neem (NLM), pawpaw (PLM), bamboo (BLM) and their composite leaf mix (CLM) on broiler chickens was assessed. Three hundred 1-day old broiler chickens were distributed to five diets: (control/no LM), (5 g/kg NLM), (5 g/kg PLM), (5 g/kg BLM) and (5 g/kg NLM+PLM+BLM 1:1:1). Body weight gain of birds fed BLM and CLM supplemented diets were similar but higher (p < 0.05) than those fed the control, NLM and PLM supplemented diets at day 42. The glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase and creatinine levels in LM supplemented diets were (p < 0.05) lower compared to the control. The superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase were (p < 0.05) higher in LM supplemented diets compared to the control. The growth promoting potentials of bamboo leaf meal and the composite leaf mix can be harnessed for broiler chicken production. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The use of herbs as the growth promoter is currently gaining research attention in most countries. In particular, herbal supplementation in poultry diets had been proposed as a means of enhancing the performance, stabilizing the physiological state, boosting immunity and antioxidative status in the birds. This study showed that improved body weight gain of broiler chickens at 42 days of age with attendant low serum glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol can be achieved when leaf meals from neem, pawpaw, bamboo and their composite mix were used as phyto-additives. The bamboo leaf meal and the composite leaf meal can be used to reduce the occurrence of arteriosclerosis which predisposes sudden death syndrome in well-grown and healthy broiler chickens. The procedures of raising broiler chickens to reach about 3 kg in less than 2 months impose a heavy burden on the heart, particularly overloading on the ventricular arteries leading to arteriosclerosis with age.

Gliricidia leaf meal and multi-enzyme in rabbits diet: effect on performance, blood indices, serum metabolites and antioxidant status.

BACKGROUND: Following the ban on the importation of import-dependent fed ingredients in most developing countries, the need to look inward for local content is now compelling. Thus, leaf meals that have phytogenic additive potentials are envisaged will be a viable feed ingredient in rabbit diets. METHODS: The effect of dietary inclusion of gliricidia leaf meal (GLM) with or without multi-enzyme (E) supplementation in rabbits was investigated using ninety-six 35-day old rabbits of crossbreed (Newzealand and Chinchilla). One basal diet that met the requirements of growing rabbit was formulated (Diet 1). Thereafter, another two diets were formulated to contain 15% GLM and 15% GLM plus multi-enzyme at 1 g/kg and designated as diets 2 and 3 respectively. The rabbits were randomly distributed into the 3 diets (32 rabbits/treatment; 4 rabbits/replicate) and fed their respective experimental diets for 8 weeks. RESULTS: The body weight and daily weight gain of the rabbits fed on GLM free diet and those on GLM-based diets (diets 1 and 2) were similar at finishing period of 63-91 day but have lower (P < 0.01) values than those rabbits fed GLM + E based diet (diet 3) at finishing period (63-91 days) and whole fattening period (35-91 days). The apparent dry matter and crude protein digestibility of rabbits fed control diet and those fed 15% GLM based diet were lower (P < 0.05) than those fed 15% GLM + E-based diet. Triglycerides concentration of rabbits fed 15% GLM-based diet without enzyme addition were lower (P < 0.05) than those observed for rabbits on the rest test diets. Cholesterol and Low-Density Lipoprotein levels of rabbits fed 15% GLM and 15% GLM + E-based diets were lower (P < 0.05) than those fed the GLM free diet. The superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase of rabbits fed the GLM free diet (diet 1) were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those fed the 15%GLM and 15% GLM + E-based diets. CONCLUSION: Dietary inclusion of GLM at 15% of the diet did not have a negative effect on the rabbits postweaning period (35-63 days) but will require multi-enzyme supplementation to enhance growth indices at finishing period (63-91 day) without precipitating negative effect on the rabbits' health status.