<i>Afzelia africana</i>, A Novel Non Starch Polysaccharide, Raised Fasting Plasma Cholesterol And Triglyceride Levels Of Rat

Abstract

The effects o vegetable flour prepared from indigenous plant Afzelia africana, a legume, on the fasting plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels of rats were investigated. Chemical analysis indicated that Afzelia flour contained significant amount of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP). The flour of Afzelia was incorporated into semi-synthetic diet to provide 10g of dietary fibre which is 300g/kg Afzela four. This repacedsome of the casein, oi andstarch in the control det .The test and control diets were ed to young Sprague-Dawley rats for 14 days ad libitum. Food intake, weight gain, crude digestibility, faeca fat excretion, fasting plasma cholesterol and triglyceride were evaluated. The result showed a statistcally significant diference (p > 005) between the control diet and the test diet in food intake, weight gain and energy digestibility. Afzelia fed rats had a significant higher fasting plasma choesterol and triglyceride levels than rats fed the control diet.

Keywords: Afzelia africana, Plasma cholesterol, Triglyceride levels, rat

Animal Research International Vol. 4 (1) 2007 pp. 621-625