Effect of livingstonepotato (Plectranthus esculenthus N.E.Br) on hyperglycemia, antioxidant activity and lipid metabolism of streptozotocin induced diabetic rats

The effect of livingstone potato (Plectranthus esculenthus N.E.Br) on serum glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), hepatic malic enzyme (ME), isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) and catalase activities of Streptozotocin induced diabetic rats were investigated using standard techniques. The atherogenic index (AI) and coronary risk index (CRI) of the rats were calculated as the ratios of LDL to HDL and total cholesterol to HDL, respectively. The serum glucose of the non-diabetic, diabetic control and diabetic rats given livingstone potato incorporated feeds (test feed) were 92.58 ± 3.97, 352.30 ± 4.88 and 165.50 ± 7.88 mg/dl, respectively. Intake of the test feed by the diabetic rats of group 3, resulted in significant (P < 0.05) decrease of their serum glucose, HbA1c, triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, AI and CRI but significant increase (P < 0.05) of hepatic levels of ME, IDH, catalase and serum HDL compared with the diabetic control rats that had significant alteration of these parameters (P < 0.05) compared with the non-diabetic rats. The feed intakes of the non-diabetic, diabetic control and diabetic rats given the test feed were 133.34 ± 1.32, 137.84 ± 5.77 and 146.38 ± 4.33 g/rat/week by the last week of experimentation. The diabetic control rats recorded significant loss of weight (P < 0.05) compared with the non diabetic rats despite increased feed intake. Chemical analysis of the standard and test feeds showed that the standard rat feed contained 15.00 ± 0.78% protein, 7.24 ± 1.20% fat, 31.55 ± 2.62% carbohydrates, energy value of 290.65 ± 4.77 kcal/100 g, 10% crude fiber and 0.12 ± 0.04 mg Gallic Acid Equivalent while the test feed contained 40.10 ± 0.16% carbohydrates, 17.22 ± 0.40% protein, 22.16 ± 0.34% fat, energy value of 428.70 ± 2.12 kcal/100 g, 8.51 ± 0.16% crude fiber, 1.3 ± 0.2 mg Gallic Acid Equivalent/g of sample and strong antioxidant activity comparable to standard quercetin. The study shows the potentials of livingstone potato in the management of diabetes and hyperlipidemia

Quality evaluation of commercially sold table water samples in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria and surrounding environments

In Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria (MOUAU) and surrounding environments, table water of different brands is commercially hawked by vendors. To the best of our knowledge, there is no scientific documentation on the quality of these water samples. Hence this study which evaluated the quality of different brands of water samples commercially sold in MOUAU and surrounding environments. The physicochemical properties (pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total hardness, dissolved oxygen, Cl, NO3, ammonium nitrogen (NH3N), turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), Ca, Mg, Na and K) of the water samples as indices of their quality were carried out using standard techniques. Results obtained from this study indicated that most of the chemical constituents of these table water samples commercially sold in Umudike environment conformed to the standards given by the Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS), World Health Organization (WHO) and American Public Health Association (APHA), respectively, while values obtained for ammonium nitrogen in these water samples calls for serious checks on methods of their production and delivery to the end users