Proximate Composition And Levels Of Some Toxicants In Four Commonly Consumed Spices

Proximate composition and levels of some toxicants (anti-nutrients) in four commonly consumed spices were investigated. The spices were garlic ( Allium sativum ), ginger ( Zingiber officinale ), onion ( Allium cepa var. cepa ), and Piper guineense seeds (Ashanti pepper). Proximate analyses showed the spices to contain (on dry weight basis) moisture ranging from 3.41% in onion to 6.67% in ginger; crude fat ranging from 0.68% (garlic) to 12.50% in Ashanti pepper, while crude protein contents ranged from 8.56% in ginger to 17.35% in garlic. Ash content ranged from 4.06% (garlic) to 8.48% (onion) and total carbohydrate content ranged from 67.59% in Ashanti pepper to 76.71% in onion. All samples were good sources of carbohydrates only. The phytochemical screening of the spices showed the presence of tannins, saponins, oxalates and cynogenic glycosides. All four samples had very low concentrations of tannin (0.01g/100g). The saponin levels ranged between 3.99g/100g in ginger and 48.35g/100g in onion. The oxalate concentrations were in the range 0.03g/100g (onion) to 0.23g/100g (ginger), while the cyanogenic glycoside levels ranged between 30.5mg/100g in ginger and 56.39mg/100g in onion. @JASE

Effect of Caffeine on the Polymerization of HbS and Sickling Rate/Osmotic Fragility of HbS Erythrocytes

The effect of exogenous caffeine on human hemoglobin-S (HbS) erythrocytes was investigated in vitro, using caffeine concentrations in millimole per liter (0.0mM-10mM) on three criteria; osmotic fragility, sickling rate and polymerization effects. The determinations were carried out on different age groups from infancy through adolescence. The result obtained demonstrated that caffeine could hasten sickling as well as fragility of HbS erythrocytes in a concentration - dependent manner. For instance at an optimum caffeine concentration of 10mM and saline concentration of 5g/l, red cell lysis increased by 90% relative to the control (0.00mM caffeine). At the same optimum concentration of 10mM, caffeine also increased HbS erythrocyte sickling and HbS gelation by 65.00% and 83.78% respectively after 10 mins of incubation with 2% sodium metabisulphite. Based on these observations; caffeine concentration in plasma might proffer marked increase in erythrocyte sickling in vivo, and consequently, slow recovery from a sickling crisis. This result could prove useful towards the management of sickle call disease (SCD). @ JASE

Effect of Caffeine on the Polymerization of HbS and Sickling Rate Osmotic Fragility of HbS Erythrocytes

The effect of exogenous caffeine on human hemoglobin-S (HbS) erythrocytes was investigated in vitro, using caffeine concentrations in millimole per liter (0.0mM-10mM) on three criteria; osmotic fragility, sickling rate and polymerization effects. The determinations were carried out on different age groups from infancy through adolescence. The result obtained demonstrated that caffeine could hasten sickling as well as fragility of HbS erythrocytes in a concentration — dependent manner. For instance at an optimum caffeine concentration of 10mM and saline concentration of 5g/l, red cell lysis increased by 90% relative to the control (0.00mM caffeine). At the same optimum concentration of 10mM, caffeine also increased HbS erythrocyte sickling and HbS gelation by 65.00% and 83.78% respectively after 10 mins of incubation with 2% sodium metabisulphite. Based on these observations; caffeine concentration in plasma might proffer marked increase in erythrocyte sickling in vivo, and consequently, slow recovery from a sickling crisis. This result could prove useful towards the management of sickle call disease (SCD). (Journal of Applied Sciences & Environmental Management: 2002 6(1): 69-72

Proximate Composition And Levels Of Some Toxicants In Four Commonly Consumed Spices

Proximate composition and levels of some toxicants (anti-nutrients) in four commonly consumed spices were investigated. The spices were garlic (Allium sativum ), ginger (Zingiber officinale ), onion (Allium cepa var. cepa ), and Piper guineense seeds (Ashanti pepper). Proximate analyses showed the spices to contain (on dry weight basis) moisture ranging from 3.41% in onion to 6.67% in ginger; crude fat ranging from 0.68% (garlic) to 12.50% in Ashanti pepper, while crude protein contents ranged from 8.56% in ginger to 17.35% in garlic. Ash content ranged from 4.06% (garlic) to 8.48% (onion) and total carbohydrate content ranged from 67.59% in Ashanti pepper to 76.71% in onion. All samples were good sources of carbohydrates only. The phytochemical screening of the spices showed the presence of tannins, saponins, oxalates and cynogenic glycosides. All four samples had very low concentrations of tannin (0.01g/100g). The saponin levels ranged between 3.99g/100g in ginger and 48.35g/100g in onion. The oxalate concentrations were in the range 0.03g/100g (onion) to 0.23g/100g (ginger), while the cyanogenic glycoside levels ranged between 30.5mg/100g in ginger and 56.39mg/100g in onion. @JASE