Open AccessBiochemical basis of the use of cocoyam (Colocassia esculenta L.) in the dietary management of diabetes and its complications in streptozotocin induced diabetes in rats
Author(s) -
Chinedum Eleazu,
P.N. Okafor,
Ifeoma I. Ijeh
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
asian pacific journal of tropical disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.208
H-Index - 33
ISSN - 2222-1808
DOI - 10.1016/s2222-1808(14)60711-8
Subject(s) - medicine , streptozotocin , endocrinology , diabetes mellitus , creatinine , alkaline phosphatase , albumin , amylase , chemistry , lipase , urea , aspartate transaminase , enzyme , biochemistry
Objective: To investigate the biochemical basis of the anti-diabetic action of cocoyam [Colocassia\udesculenta (C. esculenta)] in streptozotocin diabetic rats.\udMethods: Blood glucose of the rats was measured with a glucometer. The relative heart weight,\udrelative pancreatic weight, serum proteins, urea, creatinine, albumin, amylase, lipase, serum and\udhepatic aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and\udchemical analysis of the test feed were determined using standard techniques.\udResults: The diabetic rats fed with cocoyam had significant elevation (P<0.05) of relative\udpancreatic weight, hepatic AST, ALT, ALP and serum proteins and albumin, but had significant\udreduction (P<0.05) of blood glucose, serum urea, creatinine, amylase, lipase, AST, ALT and ALP\udcompared with the diabetic control rats while these parameters were significantly altered (P<0.05)\udin the diabetic control rats compared with the non-diabetic rats. There were no significant\uddifferences (P>0.05) in the relative heart weights of all the rats in the three groups. The test feed\udcontained considerable amounts of phenolics, crude fiber, Ca, Fe, K, Na but low amounts of\udoxalate and phytate.\udConclusions: C. esculenta may exert its anti-diabetic action by delaying/regulating the rate at\udwhich dietary starch is hydrolyzed to glucose or possibly through inhibition of acute pancreatitis.\udFinally, the study also shows the potentials of C. esculenta in the dietary management of obesity