Atim B. Antai

Vitamin C improves basal metabolic rate and lipid profile in alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus in rats.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a multi-factorial disease which is characterized by hyperglycaemia, lipoprotein abnormalities and oxidative stress. This study evaluated effect of oral vitamin C administration on basal metabolic rate and lipid profile of alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Vitamin C was administered at 200 mg/kg body wt. by gavage for four weeks to diabetic rats after which the resting metabolic rate and plasma lipid profile was determined. The results showed that vitamin C administration significantly (P<0.01) reduced the resting metabolic rate in diabetic rats; and also lowered plasma triglyceride, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. These results suggest that the administration of vitamin C in this model of established diabetes mellitus might be beneficial for the restoration of basal metabolic rate and improvement of lipid profile. This may at least in part reduce the risk of cardiovascular events seen in diabetes mellitus.

Intestinal Fluid and Glucose Transport in Wistar Rats following Chronic Consumption of Fresh or Oxidised Palm Oil Diet

Chronic ingestion of thermoxidized palm oil causes functional derangement of various tissues. This study was therefore carried out to determine the effect of chronic ingestion of thermoxidized and fresh palm oil diets on intestinal fluid and glucose absorption in rats using the everted sac technique. Thirty Wistar rats were divided into three groups of 10 rats per group. The first group was the control and was fed on normal rat chow while the second (FPO) and third groups (TPO) were fed diet containing either fresh or thermoxidized palm oil (15% wt/wt) for 14 weeks. Villus height and crypt depth were measured. The gut fluid uptake and gut glucose uptake were significantly (P < .001) lower in the TPO group than those in the FPO and control groups, respectively. The villus height in the TPO was significantly (P < .01) lower than that in FPO and control. The villus depth in TPO was significantly (P < .05) higher than that in FPO and control groups, respectively. These results suggest that ingestion of thermoxidized palm oil and not fresh palm oil may lead to distortion in villus morphology with a concomitant malabsorption of fluid and glucose in rats due to its harmful free radicals.

Viscum album (mistletoe) extract prevents changes in levels of red blood cells, PCV, Hb, serum proteins and ESR in high salt-fed rats☆

AIM OF THE STUDY The present study was aimed to determine the effects of Viscum album (mistletoe) on red blood cells, packed cell volume, Hb content, absolute haematological values {mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), colour index (CI)}, plasma proteins and ESR in high salt-fed rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS 24 male albino Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups of 6 rats each. Group 1 received normal rat pellets+drinking water. Group 2 took same as group 1+mistletoe extract (150 mg/kg body weight, orally once daily). Group 3 took high salt (8% NaCl) diet+1% NaCl drinking water. Group 4 took same as group 3+mistletoe extract (150 mg/kg body weight, orally once daily). The feeding regimens lasted for 6 weeks. RESULTS We observed that the mean RBC, PCV and Hb in the control group were 5.21+/-0.09 x 10(6)cells/mm(3), 43.50+/-1.61%, and 10.88+/-0.21 g/dl respectively. The extract significantly (P<0.05) reduced the RBC (5.72+/-0.08 x 10(6)cells/mm(3)), PCV (54.50+/-2.64%) and Hb (14.33+/-5.78 g/dl) in high salt-fed rats to near control levels. The extract also brought the elevated total plasma protein levels and reduced ESR in the high salt-fed rats (86.77+/-1.08 g/L and 1.83+/-0.31 mm/h respectively) to near control levels (82.23+/-0.91 g/L and 2.83+/-0.31 mm/h respectively), indicating the ability of the extract to prevent marked changes in the blood viscosity. The MCV, MCH, MCHC, and CI were not significantly altered by either extract or salt loading. CONCLUSION Crude mistletoe extract prevents changes in RBC, PCV, plasma protein levels, and ESR, and indication that the extract prevents changes in blood viscosity a major determinant of arterial blood pressure.

Bile secretion and palm oil diets in Wistar rats

Purpose – Chronic feeding with thermoxidized palm oil causes tissue damage. The purpose of this paper is to ascertain whether chronic feeding of oxidized and fresh palm oil affects biliary secretion.Design/methodology/approach – Albino Wistar rats were divided into three groups of ten rats each. The first group was the control and were fed on normal rat chow, while the second (FPO) and third group (TPO) were fed diet containing either fresh or thermoxidized palm oil (15per cent (w/w)) for 14 weeks. Biliary secretion, bilirubin, electrolytes, cholesterol and serum levels of alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase enzymes were measured.Findings – Biliary secretion in TPO was significantly (p < 0.05) lower compared with the control or FPO. Electrolytes (Na+, Cl− and HCO3−) content of bile were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in TPO compared with control or FPO group. Conjugated and un‐conjugated bilirubin levels were significantly (p < 0.05) elevated in TPO compared with ...

Chronic consumption of three forms of palm oil diets alters glomerular filtration rate and renal plasma flow.

The effects of chronic consumption of three types of palm oil diets on glomerular filtration rate (GFR), renal plasma flow (RPF) and blood pressure were studied. Wistar rats were randomly assigned into four groups of ten rats each, respectively: control, fresh (FPO), photoxidized (PPO), thermoxidized (TPO) palm oil diet-fed rats. The control group was fed rat chow only, while experimental groups had different palm oil diets at 15% wt/wt for twelve weeks and tap water ad libitum. After the feeding period, GFR, RPF, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured. GFR and RPF of the TPO (0.07 ± 0.01 ml/min and 1.50 ± 0.24 ml/min) and PPO (0.14 ± 0.01 and 2.54 ± 0.11) groups were significantly (p < 0.001) reduced compared with control (0.77 ± 0.04 and 5.3 ± 0.30) and FPO (0.81 ± 0.02 and 4.8 ± 0.13) groups. The GFR and RPF of the TPO group was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of the PPO group. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures of the TPO group (140 ± 3 mmHg and 106 ± 4 mmHg) were significantly (p < 0.01) increased when compared with the control (112 ± 6.4 and 78 ± 5), FPO (118 ± 5 and 81 ± 6) and PPO (122 ± 5 and 89 ± 5) groups. These results suggest that chronic consumption of TPO and PPO caused a decrease in GFR and RPF, but increased blood pressure in rats, while FPO did not adversely affect blood pressure, GFR and RPF.

Gastric ulceration: the role of thermoxidized palm oil

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of chronic consumption of fresh palm oil (FPO) and thermoxidized palm oil (TPO) diet on gastric acid secretion, pepsin secretions, gastric mucus output and gastric cytoprotection. Design/methodology/approach – Adult Wistar rats were randomly assigned into three groups, i.e. control, FPO and TPO groups (n = 10 in each). The control group was fed with normal rat chow only, the FPO group was fed on diet containing 15 per cent v/w FPO and the TPO group was fed with diet containing v/w of thermally oxidized palm oil. All animals had free access to feed and water, and the feeding lasted for 14 weeks. At the end of the feeding period, gastric acid secretion, pepsin secretion, mucus output and gastric ulceration were measured following standard methods. Findings – There was increase in histamine-stimulated gastric acid output in the TPO diet-fed group (p < 0.01) compared with the control and FPO diet-fed groups. No significant change in the mucus output w...