Evaluation of some selected blood parameters and histopathology of liver and kidney of rats fed protein-substituted mucuna flour and derived protein rich product.

Abstract

This comparative study reports the nutritional and toxicological characteristics of Mucuna pruriens flour and a protein-rich product developed from it. The protein-rich mucuna product (PRMP) was obtained by the three steps procedure: protein solubilization, heat-coagulation and sieving. Three weeks rats (n=6 per group) were fed for 28 days on standard protein-substituted rat feed with mucuna flour or PRMP. The experimental design was a factorial design with three mucuna accessions (Velvet, Black and White) and two treatments (flour and PRMP). The protein content ranged 27.2-31.5 g/100 g for flour and 58.8-61.1% for PRMP. Processing flour into PRMP led to a significant (p<0.05) reduction of tannins (50%), total polyphenols (50%) and trypsin inhibitors (94%). The rats fed PMRP diets witnessed weight gain similar to casein, while those fed mucuna flour lost weight. The levels of total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol observed in animals groups fed mucuna flour and PRMP were significantly lower (p<0.05) than the control group. In addition lymphocytes, granulocytes, red blood cells, hemoglobin and hematocrit of rats fed mucuna flour were significantly (p<0.05) lower than values in other rats groups. Kidneys glomerular sclerosis and high creatinine levels were observed in group fed mucuna flour. PRMP then represents a good alternative of using mucuna proteins for human nutrition.

• Authors: Josiane Therese Metsagang Ngatchic, Selestion Dongmo Sokeng, Nicolas Yanou Njintang, Theophile Maoundombaye, Julius Oben, Carl Moses F Mbofung
• Journal: Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association (Food Chem Toxicol) Vol. 57 Pg. 46-53 (Jul 2013) ISSN: 1873-6351 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23474323 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Cholesterol, LDL
• Plant Proteins, Dietary
• Cholesterol

Topics

• Animal Feed
• Animals
• Blood Cells (drug effects, metabolism)
• Cholesterol (blood)
• Cholesterol, LDL (blood)
• Flour (analysis)
• Food Handling (methods)
• Kidney (drug effects, pathology)
• Liver (drug effects, pathology)
• Male
• Mucuna (chemistry)
• Plant Proteins, Dietary (pharmacology)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Weight Gain (drug effects)