Hyperglycemic effect of low protein cassava diet.

Hyperglycemic effect of cassava diet in presence of varying amounts of protein has been carried out. The rats fed a low protein high cyanide diet showed an increase in the blood glucose and a decrease in the liver glycogen. The activity of glycogen phosphorylase, glucose 6-phosphatase and phosphoglucomutase showed higher levels in the liver of low protein high cyanide group compared to the control group. Also, the activity of hexokinase, and isocitrate dehydrogenase activity in the liver of high cyanide low protein were significantly low. The results suggests that cassava diet with the low protein can induce hyperglycemia.

Effect of protein supplemented cassava diet in rats.

The effect of feeding rats with cassava diet (tapioca) has been investigated with respect to the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and levels of TBARS. By varying the levels of protein in the diet and cyanide content of cassava, the possible role of a high protein diet in the prevention of oxidant stress has been shown. Rhodanese which detoxifes cyanide is also found to be inhibited in rats fed low protein diet while the inhibition was only marginal in the high protein fed groups.