Effect of cucumber consumption on plasma creatinine, urea, uric acid and glucose level in apparently healthy students of college of health sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe university, Nnewi campus, Anambra state, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the effect of oral intake of cucumber on plasma creatinine (Cr), urea, uric acid (Ua) and blood glucose in young apparently healthy students. A total of 29 subjects (14 males and 15 females) were recruited. Each subject was advised to abstain from cucumber and similar vegetables consumption for two weeks. Thereafter, they received 400 g of whole cucumber for 21days prior to their daily breakfast. 5mls each of baseline (day zero) and post consumption (day 22) samples were collected after overnight fast into fluoride oxalate and lithium heparin containers for glucose and other biochemical parameters respectively. Plasma glucose, urea, creatinine and uric acid were analyzed using standard methods. There was a significant decrease in the mean plasma glucose level in post cucumber consumption when compared to the pre-cucumber consumption (4.280.46 vs 4.680.35; p<0.05). However, plasma levels of urea, uric acid and creatinine did not differ significantly between pre and post–cucumber consumption. This study revealed hypoglycaemic effect of cucumber consumption with no harmful effect on the kidney. Therefore, cucumber consumption could be of importance in prevention and management of diabetes mellitus.
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Keywords: Cucumber, urea, glucose, Uric acid, Creatinine.