Hypolipidemic effect of Telfairia occidentalis (fluted pumpkin) in rats fed a cholesterol-rich diet.

Telfairia occidentalis (fluted pumpkin) is one of the commonly consumed leafy vegetables in Nigeria. In order to justify its inclusion in herbal preparations in African traditional medicine, the possible hypolipidemic effect of this vegetable was investigated in rats fed a cholesterol-rich diet. The ability of Questran, a hypolipidemic drug, to attenuate hypercholesterolemia was also examined. Rats were fed with either a basal diet containing cholic acid (0.2%) or a supplemented diet with T. occidentalis at the 3% and 6% levels. Oral administration of cholesterol for 9 consecutive weeks resulted in a significant increase (P < .001) in the relative weight of the heart of cholesterol-fed rats. However, supplemented diets significantly (P < .001) ameliorated the cholesterol-induced enlargement of the heart. Rats fed on supplemented diets had a dose-dependent reduction in plasma and postmitochondrial supernatant fraction (PMF) cholesterol levels. In particular, supplemented diets containing 3% and 6% T. occidentalis decreased plasma and PMF cholesterol levels by 20% and 30% and by 30% and 45%, respectively. A similar decrease in plasma and PMF cholesterol levels was obtained in Questran-treated hypercholesterolemic rats. Furthermore, 3% and 6% T. occidentalis-supplemented diets significantly (P < .05) decreased the cholesterol-induced increase in plasma and PMF low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels by 24% and 48% and by 28% and 52%, respectively. In contrast, there was no significant difference (P > .05) in plasma and PMF triglyceride levels of rats fed on supplemented diets when compared with cholesterol-fed rats. There were significant decreases (P < .05) in lipid peroxidation levels in rats fed on the supplemented diets. Specifically, 3% and 6% T. occidentalis-supplemented diets decreased plasma and PMF lipid peroxidation by 24% and 20% and by 42% and 21%, respectively. This study demonstrates that T. occidentalis may be a useful therapy for hypercholesterolemia through reducing oxidative stress and cholesterol levels.

Effect of wilting and processing on the nitrate and nitrite contents of some Nigerian leaf vegetables.

Nitrate and nitrite contents of seven varieties of commonly consumed leaf vegetables were determined. Effect of cooking and wilting on the contents of these factors were investigated. Nitrate ranged from 48.10 in ewuro to 270.0 ppm ogunmo (mean 116.43+/- 78.31) while nitrite ranged from 0.024 ppm in tete to 0.064 in ogunmo (mean 0.044+/-0.018). Cooking reduced the nitrate levels in all the samples but nitrite levels inexplicably increased in all sample. On wilting nitrate levels decrease while nitrite levels increased up to 83% in tete. The nitrate and nitrite levels were not considered hazardous but toxicological implications of high consumption of these factors is briefly highlighted.

Glycosylated haemoglobin levels in children with protein-energy malnutrition.

Fasting blood glucose, serum protein and glycosylated haemoglobin level (HbA1c) were determined in 50 children (aged 1-5 years) suffering from protein-energy malnutrition and in 25 healthy and nutritionally normal children of the same age group. It was observed that HbA1c correlated well with the blood glucose values of the children. It was also observed that they had significantly higher values of HbA1c than the controls, indicating the existence in them of glucose intolerance. Long-term monitoring of the glycaemic status is therefore suggested as a means of assessing any relationship between glycosylated haemoglobin and impaired pancreatic function in such patients.