Nigerian Receives Patent for Cancer, Diabetes.
June 30th, 2011 | 
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Nigerian Receives Patent for Cancer, Diabetes
From Constance Ikokwu in Washington, D.C., 06.10.2009A Nigerian born Professor of Biology, Ernest Izevbigie, has been given two patents for bitter leaf-based anti-diabetic and cancer medication in the United States, THISDAY can report.His product may also benefit HIV/AIDS patients, it was learnt.
Izvebigie, a Professor in the area of vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf) research at Jackson State University, Mississippi, received the first patent Phytochemotherapy for Cancer U.S. Patent 6,713,098 in 2004 and the second 6,848,604 in 2005.
He founded Edobotanics, a company that uses technology at the university to process, extract and standardize compounds from bitter leaf.
Edobotanics now produces nutritional supplements called edoTIDEplus that promotes gastrointestinal, breast and prostate health, THISDAY gathered.
“We found that in using the plant material, some compounds from the extracts were able to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells,†said the professor.
“Later through collaborative research, we found they were also effective in other tumor cells,†he added.
Although, the formulations are not optimized for diabetes, they provide some health benefits to diabetes patients, he explained.
His research focus is cancer biology and pharmacognosy.
As for HIV/AIDS patients, Izevbigie explained that evidence from cell culture and animal studies research and reports from individuals reveal that bitter leaf formulary supplementation may abate or improve their health conditions or symptoms which include abrosia (wasting away), nausea and vomiting, compromised immune systems etc.
“Since immune suppression and abrosia represent some of the key features of HIV/AIDS pathogenesis, bitter leaf supplement-induced stimulation of the immune system could benefit HIV/AIDS patients,†he stated.
The professor further explained that available data shows that bitter leaf extracts may be effective against Kaposi sarcomas (KS), a tumour caused by Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8).
He said that although KS infection occurs in the general population, the frequency of occurrence among HIV/AIDS patients is higher.
An estimated, 40 per cent of HIV/AIDS sufferers are said to develop KS, which is noted to be more progressive and less responsive to therapy in HIV-positive individuals compared to HIV-negative patients.
Recently, Edobotanics won second place in the University division of the Mississippi Technology Alliance’s Mississippi Business Plan competition.
The competition included 27 companies who presented their plan to some entrepreneurs and investors in the state.
Edobotanics presented a plan for producing and marketing dietary supplements that promote health and wellness.
According to the CEO of the company, Mr. Bruce Deer, “this product supports general health and well being. It is a combination of science and nature for optimum health.â€
Izevbigie came to the US from Nigeria in 1982.
His interest in bitter leaf dates back to his childhood days in Nigeria.
He said he watched his grandmother who practised herbal/alternative medicine use bitter leaf to cure patients.
Narrating his research work, he said upon receiving his Ph.D degree in Michigan State University, he pursued a post-doctoral training at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.
There, he developed a passion to apply modern scientific techniques to investigate the health benefits of some Nigerian botanical or herbal medicines.
Izevbigie says other researchers have joined his research team since receiving two patents from his exclusive and original work.
Asked about the availability of bitter leaf in the US for his product, he says there is a possibility the plant will be grown outside Nigeria.
The company can also rely on Nigerian contractors, he said.
Jackson State University is a historically black school founded in 1877.
It is located in Jackson, the capital city of the State of Mississippi.
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EGUSI MEDICAL BENEFITS
EGUSI MEDICAL BENEFITS
Fatty Acid Composition Of Citrullus Lanatus (Egusi Melon) Oil And Its Effect On Serum Lipids And Some Serum Enzymes
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Olarewaju M. Oluba M.Sc.
Dept. of Biochemistry
University of Benin
Address:
Benin City
Nigeria
Olalekan Adeyemi PhD
Dept. of Biochemistry
Adekunle Ajasin University
Address:
Akungba Akoko
Ondo State
Nigeria
Godwin C. Ojieh M.Sc.
Department of Medical Biochemistry
College of Medicine
Ambrose Alli University
Address:
Ekpoma
Edo State
Nigeria
Isaac O. Isiosio M.Sc.
Dept. of Biochemistry
University of Benin
Address:
Benin City
Nigeria
Citation: O. M. Oluba, O. Adeyemi, G. C. Ojieh & I. O. Isiosio : Fatty Acid Composition Of Citrullus Lanatus (Egusi Melon) Oil And Its Effect On Serum Lipids And Some Serum Enzymes . The Internet Journal of Cardiovascular Research. 2008 Volume 5 Number 2
Keywords: Fatty acids | egusi melon oil | rat feeding | lipids | serum enzymes | hypercholesterolemia
Table of Contents
Abstract
Oil from the seeds of Citrullus lanatus (egusi melon) was extracted and its fatty acid composition determined. The extracted oil was used in diet formulation and fed (as a supplement to cholesterol-based diet) to rats for a period of 6 weeks to determine its effect on serum lipids and some selected serum enzymes used to aid diagnosis of cardiovascular disease. The control rats were fed a diet containing 5% cholesterol without egusi melon oil while the experimental rats received a diet containing 5% cholesterol with 5% egusi melon oil. Serum cholesterol in the total, free and esterified forms were determined weekly. In addition, serum activities of LDH, ALT, AST, and γ-GT were also monitored. Egusi melon oil with a rich content of polyunsaturated fatty acid was found to produce a significant reduction (p<0.05) in serum total, free and esterified cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. A similar corresponding significant reduction (p<0.05) in serum activities of the enzymes were observed in the egusi melon oil-fed rats. In addition, feeding egusi melon oil (5% in the diet) to rats reduced severe atherosclerosis in the aorta. Histopathological examination showed that egusi melon oil reduced foam cell formation and inhibited smooth muscle cell migration in the blood vessel of rats. The implications of these findings are discussed with respect to hypercholesterolemia.
Introduction
Hypercholesterolemia is a risk factor in the development of atherosclerosis 1 . Therapeutic agents which control the levels of serum cholesterol have proven to be effective in the treatment of coronary heart diseases (CHD) 2,3 . While agents exist that can modulate circulating levels of cholesterol carrying lipoproteins by inhibiting cholesterol synthesis, these agents have little or no effect on the intestinal absorption of cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol can increase the level of serum cholesterol to levels which can place an individual at increased risk for the development or exacerbation of atherosclerosis 1,4 .
The liver plays a central role in the storage, synthesis, and metabolic transformations of lipids by packaging triglycerides and cholesterol, which are insoluble in the plasma, into particles called lipoproteins which can be carried in the bloodstream. Atherosclerosis weakens the arterial wall and narrows the path of blood within the vessels. Atherosclerotic lesions frequently appear in the coronary arteries, producing CHD. As the plaque increases in size, the coronary arteries may become completely blocked, when that occurs, the heart muscles are deprived of oxygen from the blood and the victim suffers a “heart attack”, or a myocardial infarction 1,5 . The risk of CHD increases dramatically as the plasma concentration of LDL cholesterol increases 6 . Consequently, development of methods for lowering LDL cholesterol levels has become a major focus of medical research. The approach of reducing dietary cholesterol suffers from two limitations. The first is that cholesterol is present in all animal fats and many people are unwilling to scarify their preferred diet. The second is that the liver and other tissues synthesize cholesterol de novo if the dietary supply is inadequate.
In West Africa, egusi melon (Citrullus lanatus) seeds (fig. 1b) from egusi melon plant (fig. 1a) are a common component of daily meals. Little nutritional detail on egusi melon oil is readily available to an international readership. Research studies have shown that these seeds contained about 50% oil 7 , 42-57% oil 8 , 44-53% oil 9 for seeds cultivated in different bioclimatic regions of Cameroon. These studies showed that egusi melon seeds contained good amounts of oil that can be exploited. On this regard, the present study is aimed at establishing the fatty acid profile of egusi melon oil and the effect of the oil on serum lipids and on the activities of some selected serum enzymes used to aid diagnostic tools in cardiovascular disease.
Figure 1a: Citrullus lanatus (egusi melon) plant
Figure 1b: Citrullus lanatus (egusi melon) seeds
Materials And Methods
Chemicals: All chemicals used were of analytical grade and were products of BDH Chemicals Ltd, Poole England unless otherwise stated.
Collection and preparation of seeds sample: Egusi melon seeds used for this study were obtained from a local market in Iwaro-Oka Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria and were identified as Citrullus lanatus (egusi melon) by a taxonomist in the Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin, Nigeria. The seeds were screened to remove bad ones, shelled manually and further screened. The seeds were then dried to constant weight in an oven at 70 °C, ground using mechanical grinder, put in air-tight containers and stored in desiccators for further analysis, some of the seeds was subsequently deposited at the herbarium of the faculty.
Oil extraction: Oil from the seeds of egusi melon was extracted by continuous extraction in Soxhlet apparatus (Cehmglass) for 8 hours using petroleum ether (60-80° C boiling range) as solvent according to the method described 10 . At the end of the extraction the extraction solvent was evaporated in a rotary evaporator (Cehmglass). The extracted oil was used for feed formulation and the remaining stored in light proof, airtight and moisture proof container at -4°C for further analysis.
Fatty acid composition analysis: The fatty acid profile of egusi melon oil was determined by gas liquid chromatography (Hewlett Packard, model 5750).
Animals and diets: Albino Wistar rats (n=14) of both sexes and weighing 110-120g obtained from the animal laboratory of the Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, Nigeria were used for the study. Animals were housed singly in stainless steel cages with raised wire floor in a room with a 12hour light/dark cycle at a temperature of about 30°C and fed rat chow (purchased from Guinea feeds, Nigeria) and water ad libitum for two weeks to acclimatize. The rats were then assigned randomly to two group of seven each designated: control and experimental respectively and placed on their respective diet for a period of 6 weeks. The composition of each diet is as shown in Table 1. Before the commencement of the feeding experiment, rats were fasted overnight but allowed access to water ad libitum. Rats had free access to diet and were weighed weekly.
Serum preparation: At weekly intervals, one rat from each group was sacrificed and 2ml blood collected into plain tubes, centrifuged at 10000g for 5min and the serum extracted and analyses were carried out immediately. The animal protocol was approved by the Animal Committee of the National Institute of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nigeria.
Assays: Serum total and free cholesterol concentrations were determined by the method of Searcy and Bergquist 11 , while the esterified cholesterol concentration was calculated as the difference between total and free cholesterol values. Triglyceride concentration was determined according to the method described by Tiez 12 . Activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was determined using the method of Kubowitz and Otti 13 . Serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured using the methods described by Reitman and Fankel 14 while gamma- glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) activity was determined by Szaz method 15 . Protein content in serum was measured by Lowry et al method 16 .
Histological analysis: Histological preparations of the aorta of the rats at the end of the feeding period were made as described earliear 17 . Frozen aorta samples were sliced (4µm) and stained in 60% Oil Red O stock solution (0.5g of Oil Red O in 100ml of isopropanol) for 5 minutes. Tissues were washed briefly in 60% polyethylene glycol and then rinsed in distilled water for microscopic observation and photography.
Statistical analysis: The data are presented as means ± SEM. The mean values of the control and test groups were compared using student’s t-test performed using SPSS 10 software. P<0.05 was considered to be significant.
Table 1: Diet Composition (% by weight)
Results
All rats consumed about 70% of their daily ration and grew well during the study, gaining 15.4g mean weight weekly. No significant difference was found in the rate of weight gain for animals in the two groups. The oil extraction showed that about 47% by weight of egusi melon seed is composed of oil.
Fatty acid Composition: The fatty acid composition of egusi melon seed oil presented in Table 2 showed that the oil contained four main fatty acids: palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids, linoleic acid being the most abundant. 71.9% of the fatty acid content of egusi melon seed oil are unsaturated out of which 14.5% are monounsaturated fatty acids and the remaining 57.4% are polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Table 2: Fatty acid composition of egusi melon oil
Serum Lipids: Changes in serum cholesterol concentration of the control and test rats over the entire feeding period are presented in Table 3. Cholesterol concentrations in the total, free and esterified fractions were significantly lower (p<0.05) in rats fed diet containing egusi melon seed oil compared with the control at the end of the feeding exercise. Similarly, serum triglyceride concentration was significantly lower (p<0.05) in the egusi melon oil-fed rats compared to the control (Table 4).
Table 3: Changes in serum cholesterol concentration (mg/dl).
Table 4: Serum triglyceride concentration (mg/dl).
Values are mean ± SEM of triplicate determinations. Values in the same row carrying different superscript are significant (p<0.05).
Serum enzymes’ activities: As shown in Table 5, the egusi melon oil-fed rats presented significantly reduced (p<0.05) activities of the enzymes in serum compared with the control at the end of the feeding trial.
Table 5: Serum enzymes’ activities (U/L)
Values are mean ± SEM of triplicate determinations. Values in the same row carrying different superscript are significant (p<0.05).
Note: LDH: Lactate dehydrogenase; ALT= alanine aminotransferase; AST= aspartate aminotransferase; γ-GT= gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase
Total protein concentration: the result shown in Table 6 shows that significant (p0.05) differences in the two groups studied only occurred in the last two weeks of the study. The experimental rats had significantly higher (p<0.05) serum protein concentration in these last two weeks.
Table 6: Total protein concentration (mg/dl)
Values are mean ± SEM of triplicate determinations. Values in the same row carrying different superscript are significant (p<0.05).
Histological analysis of the aorta of the control rat at the end of the feeding period showed massive degeneration of the arterial wall linings and movement of the smooth muscle cells into the intima of the arteries (see arrow on plate 1). There were also depositions of fatty streaks in the arterial lumen. No such observation was made for the egusi melon oil-fed rats (plate2).
Plate 1: Histological preparation of the aorta of control rat at the end of the feeding experiment
Plate 2: Histological preparation of the aorta of experimental rat at the end of the feeding experiment
Discussion
As earlier observed by Martin (1998) 7 , Fokou et al (2004) 8 and Achu et al (2005) 9 , the result of our study showed that egusi melon seed contains considerable amount of oil. The fatty acid composition of egusi melon oil showed that the oil is very rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. The most abundant fatty acid in egusi melon oil is linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid. Linoleic acid and linolenic acid as well as other (n-3) and (n-6) fatty acids have been reported to have protective effect against CHD 18,19,20 . Studies have shown that linoleic acid lowers total and LDL cholesterol concentrations, which are established risk factors of CHD and also improves insulin sensitivity 19,20 . The linolenic acid content of egusi melon oil is rather too low by comparism to other polyunsaturated fatty acid rich oilseeds. Linolenic acid though an omega-3 fatty acid with positive health effects is easily susceptible to peroxidation, hence, undesirable in edible oils because of the off-flavours and potentially harmful oxidative products formed 18 . The high linoleic acid and low linolenic acid content of egusi melon oil indicates that it is a good source of table oil, cooking oil and frying oil, making it good for the fight against CHD.
The results of this study show that the inclusion of egusi melon oil as a supplement to diet containing high cholesterol improves serum lipids. The reductions in total and esterified cholesterol observed in the egusi melon oil-fed rats observed in this study is of interest since the offending lipid in atherogenesis is the esterified cholesterol fraction. An increase in cholesteryl ester fraction above the plasma threshold level could possibly initiate atherogenesis. If the cholesteryl ester produced cannot be effectively catabolized due to its relatively high concentration, there would be consequent deposition of the excess in the peripheral and vascular tissues resulting in atherogenesis. The observed decrease in serum triglyceride concentration in the egusi melon-fed group also explains the positive benefits of the oil on serum lipids. Patients with hypertriglyceridemia have been demonstrated frequently to have lower plasma HDL cholesterol levels 21 , which may contribute to increase risk for CHD 22 . Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) in addition to serum cholesterol and triglyceride are demonstrated to be constituent of some tissues (liver, kidneys, heart, adipose tissue, aorta and skeletal muscles etc). Damage to these tissues could result in leakage of these enzymes into the bloodstream. The observed low activities of LDH, ALT, AST, and γ-GT in the egusi melon-fed rats could be as a result of the possible role of linoleic acid in maintaining cellular integrity. This submission derived merit from the results of the histological preparations of the aorta at the end of the feeding exercise which showed an intact vasculature in the egusi melon-fed rats (plate 2) compared to that of the control group which showed massive degeneration of the arterial wall linings accompanied with movement of smooth muscle cells into the intima (see arrow on plate 1). In addition, the results of the serum protein concentration also justifies the fact that egusi melon may play some protective effect on cellular integrity by stimulating the secretion of certain proteinous molecules hence the higher protein concentration observed in the egusi melon fed rats. In conclusion the use of egusi melon oil as edible oil for cooking and frying and also as a food supplement especially in regions with high fat diets as staples is strongly recommended because of its high content of essential fatty acids and its positive health benefits on serum lipids. Further studies are warranted to confirm our results and to determine the exact mechanism(s) of action of the hypocholesterolemic effect of egusi melon oil.
References
1. McGill HG, Jr. The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Clin Chem. 1988; 34 (8B): B33-B39. (s)
2. Bays H, Stein EA. Pharmacotherapy for atherogenic dyslipidaemia – a current therapies and future agents. Expert Opin. Pharmacother. 2003; 4:1901-1938. (s)
3. Linsel-Nitschke P, Tall AR. HDL as a target in the treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Nature Rev. Drug Discov. 2005; 4:193-205. (s)
4. Kris-Etherton PM et al. The effect of diet on plasma lipids, lipoproteins, and coronary heart disease. J Am Diet Assoc. 1988; 88: 1373-1400. (s)
5. Schaeffer EI, Levy RI. Pathogenesis and management of lipoprotein disorder. N Engl J Med, 1985; 312: 1300-1310. (s)
6. Berg KA, Borrensen H, Dawon G. Serum high density lipoprotein and atherosclerotic heart disease. Lancet 1986; 1: 499-501. (s)
7. Martin FW. Cucurbit seed as possible oil and protein sources. Tropical seed.com.vegetables and herbs. ECHO, 1998; 17430.Durrance Rd, North FF. Myers FL33917, USA, 7p. (s)
8. Fokou E, Achu MB, Tchouanguep M.F. Preliminary nutritional evaluation of five species of egusi seeds in Cameroon. African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development 2004; 4 (1): 11. (s)
9. Achu MB, Fokou E, Tchieang C, Fotso M, Tchouanguep FM. Nutritive value of some Cucurbitceae oilseeds from different regions in Cameroon. Afr. J. Biotechnol. 2005; 4 (10): 1329-1334. (s)
10. AOAC. Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Analytical Chemist. 13th ed. William Horwitz ed.Washington D.C. 1980; Pp.56-132. (s)
11. Searcy RL, Bergquist LM. A new colour reaction for the quantification of serum cholesterol. Clin. Chim. Acta. 1960; 5: 192-199. (s)
12. Tiez NW. Clinical Guide to Laboratory Tests. 2nd edn. W.B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, USA, 1990; Pp: 554. (s)
13. Kubowitz F, Otti P. Lactate dehydrogenase activity in urine.Biochem J. 1943; 314: 94-96. (s)
14. Reitman S, Frankel S. A colorimetric method for the determination of serum GOT and GPT. Am. J. Clin Petol. 1957; 28: 56-63. (s)
15. Szaz G. A kinetic photometric method for serum Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase. Clin. Chem. 1976; 15: 124-136. (s)
16. Lowry OP, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AL, Randall RJ. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J. Biol. Chem. 1951; 193: 265-275. (s)
17. Onyeneke EC, Ononogbu IC. Effect of gari diet on the pathological changes of the aorta, liver and the kidneys of rats. J. Clin. Biochem. Nutr. 1989; 7:91-100. (s)
18. Baylin A, Kabagambe EK, Acherio A, Spiegelman D, Campus H. Adipose tissue alpha linolenic acid and nonfatal acute myocardial infarction in Costa Rica. Circulation 2003; 107: 1586-1591. (s)
19. Hu FB, Manson JE, Willett WC. Types of dietary fat and risk of coronary heart disease: a critical review. J. Am. Coll. Nutr. 2001; 20: 5-19. (s)
20. Wijendran V, Hayes KC. Dietary n-6 and n-3 fatty acid balance and cardiovascular health. Annu Rev Nutr. 2004; 24: 597-615. (s)
21. Richards EG, Grundy SM, Cooper K. Influence of plasma triglycerides on lipoprotein patterns in normal subjects and in patients with coronary artery disease. Am J Cardiol. 1989; 63: 1214-1220. (s)
22. Assman G, Schulte H, Oberwittler W, Hause WH. New aspects in the prediction of coronary artery disease: the Prospective Cardiovascular Munster Study. In: Fidge, N.H., Nestel, P.J. eds. Atherosclerosis VII. Amsterdam Netherlands. Elsevier Science Publishers. 1986; Pp. 19-24. (s)
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PALM OIL NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS
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A misperception from the past?
There’s a good chance you’ve heard palm oil erroneously referred to and grouped together with palm kernel oil and coconut oil as a “tropical oil,” a contributor to high cholesterol levels, or even as a trans-fat. Palm fruit oil is different and contains much less saturated fat than coconut and palm kernel oil.
Palm oil products are trans-fat free.
Palm fruit oil contains a variety of fats, vitamins and nutrients, but NO trans-fatty acids. Trans-fatty acids are found pre-dominantly in hydrogenated oils. Several recent studies have implicated trans-fatty acids in increasing the risk of cancer, interfering with fat metabolism, enhancing fatty deposits in the arteries, and reducing the body’s ability to rid itself of carcinogens, drugs and other toxins.
Palm fruit oil is made up of a mixture of fatty acids and contains valuable vitamins and nutrition that our bodies need. Human studies have shown that a palm oil-enriched diet does not raise the level of LDL or total cholesterol, and may even lead to lower plasma levels of LDL, the plasma cholesterol most commonly linked to heart disease. The majority of palm oil’s use in foods – in the baking of cookies and crackers, for example- is in a non-hydrogenated form.
Palm oil. A source of goodness!
Palm fruit oil is one of the most nutrition filled vegetable oils on the market. Find out more by clicking on any of the following links.
| When you use margarine or shortening, think about how the consistency was obtained – and more importantly, what it could contain. The fat content may really be hydrogenated oil hardened by chemical means to become solid and stable for food processing.
What does hydrogenated mean? Although the percentage of coronary heart disease deaths in the United States attributable to intake of trans fatty acids is uncertain, even the lower estimates from the effects on blood lipids would suggest that more than 30,000 deaths per year may be due to consumption of partially hydrogenated vegetable fat. Furthermore, the number of attributable cases of nonfatal coronary heart disease will e even larger. In contrast to those oils that require hydrogenation, palm fruit oil is a stable, versatile and healthy alternative in food processing. It is semi-solid in its natural state, and therefore does not require hydrogenation. Palm fruit oil is free of trans fatty acids. It gives margarine a natural coloring and the right consistency for spreading. Additionally, natural nutrients such as Vitamin E and beta-carotene are added to most preparations today. The product label will tell you if palm oil is used rather than hydrogenated oils or trans fatty acids. FATS AND PALM OIL IN THE DIET Like other edible fats and oils, palm fruit oil is easily digested, absorbed and used for healthy metabolism. Fats and oils account for 95% of a category of nutrients called lipids. Phospholipids and sterols make up the other 5% of lipids. Fats serve distinct roles in the diet, and in the body. In the diet, fats provide essential fatty acids and energy and are a carrier for the fat soluble vitamins – AD,K and E. Fats also contribute to palatability and satiety value of food. In the body, the functions for fat include energy reserve, thermal insulation, organ protection, tissue membrane structure and cell metabolism. Fats contain carbon, hydrogen and oxgyen. They are glycerides composed of glycerol and fatty acids. Glycerol combined with one fatty acid is a monoglyceride, with two fatty acids is a diglyceride and with three fatty acids is a triglyceride. Most natural fats are triglycerides whether they are from animal or plant sources. Fatty acids are of various chain lengths and degrees of saturation. The fatty acids may be short, medium or long chain. They are classified as saturated or unsaturated. The unsaturated fatty acids consist of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. A saturated fatty acid contains all of the hydrogen that it can take. Unsaturated fatty acids consist of monounsaturated (one place with less hydrogen creating one double bond) and polyunsaturated (two or more places unfilled with hydrogen creating two or more double bonds) fatty acids. Many different combinations of fatty acids are possible in fats and oils. Palm fruit oil contains a combination of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids. The unsaturated fatty acids are 40% oleic (monounsaturated) and 10% linoleic (polyunsaturated). Linoleic acid is the most common and the most important polyunsaturated fatty acid in foods. It is called an essential fatty acid because the body cannot synthesize it. The saturated fatty acids comprise 44% palmitic and 5% stearic. |
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MEDICINAL USES OF KANWA (or AKAN WU) IN NIGERIA
MEDICINAL USES OF KANWA (or AKAN WU) IN NIGERIA
by Venerable Dr I. U. Ibeme
Websites:ht t p:/ / www. scri bd. com /i f eogo
http://priscaquila.ucoz.com
http://priscaquila.t35.com
KANWA(or AKANWU) is the local Nigerian name for:
1. Crystal Soda(SODA is crystallised hydrous carbonate of sodium and of two types, either
Na2CO3.Na2CO3.2H2O calledTR ON A or Na2CO3.NaHCO3.2H2O calledNATRON and powdery
anhydrous carbonate of sodium Na2CO3 i.e. SODA ASH). These are the main constituents of
Kanwa; and
2. Crystal Potash(granular POTASH is the crystallised hydrous carbonate of potassium
K2CO3.H2O; similar in composition with powdery anhydrous PEARL ASH K2CO3).
In Nigeria people do not usually distinguish between common greyish-white Crystal SodaKanwa (i.e.Trona andN atron) and the rare yellowish-white Crystal PotashKanwa (i.e.Potas h); all are commonly thought to be ‘potash’. Pearl ash is organic Potash locally produced from burnt wood and plant ashes, while mineral Potash is industrially produced form Solvay process which chemically treats common salt solution with ammonia and carbon dioxide or from Engel-Precht process. The naturally occurringKanwa mineral varieties (Trona, Natron and Potash) usually
contain several other impurities such as sand, clay, and metals like, silicon, magnesium,
calcium, iron, aluminium, and titanium.
All theseKanwa varieties have similar properties. They are all alkaline (soapy) when dissolved in
water. They are all used for making tanner’s lye (liquid soap of either caustic potash KOH or
caustic soda NaOH) used in tanning leather, for making soap, and for tenderizing, emulsifying and
preserving food. At the mining quarries ofKanwa, other minerals may coexist, such as
thermonatrite, halite (common salt), thernadite, merabilite, and gypsum.
In the Gastro Intestinal SystemKanwa is used for toothache relief, as antacid and stomachic, for
relief of constipation and flatulence.Kanwa is also a liver stimulant but in larger doses irritates the
stomach, causing heartburn.
In the Renal System,Kanwa induces alkaline diuresis (i.e. increased urination) and dilates blood
vessels to enhance renal blood flow. When taken in excess, the sodium inKanwa accumulates in the
blood causing raised blood pressure.
In the Respiratory System,Kanwa induces secretion of the respiratory mucosa to act as an
expectorant.
Generally,Kanwa induces diaphoresis by dilating blood vessels of the skin with subsequent cooling
effect that may feel helpful in febrile conditions.
In traditional concoctions and for culinary purposesKanwa serves as tenderiser, thickener,
seasoning, potentiating adjunct and preservative.
Venerable Dr Ifechukwu U. Ibeme (0802 358 9315)
Chief Medical Officer, Staff Retainership Clinic, UMTH, Maiduguri, Borno State , Nigeria
How Plantain Extract Boosts Kidney Health in Sexual Functions of a Man
A MEAL of unripe plantain with local spices like cloves, onions, garlic and ginger could be the answer to erectile dysfunction, low sperm count, ulcer, kidney problems, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Unripe plantain cooked or roasted has been proven over the years to induce, sustain and maintain erection. It also helps to make semen thick and increases sperm volume. Roasted plantain fruit is good for men with weak erection and low sperm count. Make a habit of eating one or two roasted plantain daily. If you wish, you can eat it with vegetable soup. Enjoy yourself while you improve your health the natural way. The ripe plantain fruit can be used to treat indigestion. Mash some ripe plantain to make a paste. Take one tablespoon twice daily. Take more plantain or unripe bananas. They help to rejuvenate the sexual organ with high level of potassium. Include garlic in every meal. Garlic is generally a good anti oxidant and a good remedy for impotence in particular. Include ginger in every meal too. Ginger has healing properties to treat erectile dysfunction. Include onion as much as possible in all your meals. It has been taken fresh by ancient Greece to lighten the balance of blood and to firm up their muscles. Fresh green vegetables, all kinds of nuts, grains and fresh fruits, which are rich in mineral, are generally good to impotence cure. According to “Medicinal Uses of Fruits and Vegetable sun ripe plantain contains special dietary fibre called pectin, which increases the number of calories ingested thus can shed weight or treat obesityá. Researches by alternative medical practitioners have shown that people experiencing frigidity, sterility and most especially very cold sexual drive may not necessarily need to take drugs like Viagra, but natural diets like plantain. Researchers have shown that co-treatment of extract of root of plantain to streptozotocin-treated diabetic rat resulted in a significant correction in the levels of sex organ relative weights, serum insulin and testosterone levels, sperm count and viability, androgenic enzyme activity, antioxidant enzymes, conjugated diene and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance levels in testis and germ cells counts at stage VII of the seminiferous epithelial cycle. The results of the study published in Journal of Herbs, Spices & Medicinal Plants support the validity of this herbal drug for the management of diabetes as well as diabetes-induced testicular disorder. How does plantain boost sexual performance, reduce impotence, unsatisfactory erection, sexual weakness and increase sex drive, including women you may ask? How can it be prepared might be the question of some people? The answer is that only unripe plantain is required for this purpose. Fresh unripe plantain would be used with the peel removed. Some naturopaths recommend: Unripe plantain, pure honey, cloves and walnuts will be grinded, mashed or pound together to make a gel or paste. After this, the gel will be sun-dried to form a cake or flakes. During sun-drying, the materials should be protected either with tiny, spacing wire mesh or iron mosquito nets from flies. Once totally dried and has become a flake, it has become a “drug” referred to as sex enhancing drug capable of improving penile-erection, cure sexual coldness in women and also prevent early or premature ejaculation in men during sexual intercourse. The results of the experimental study indicate that, in the mammalian model used, methanolic extract of mature. Nevertheless, the findings of this experimental animal study indicate that MEMP possesses hypoglycemic activity, and thus lends credence to the suggested folkloric use of the plant in the management and/or control of adult-onset, type-2 diabetic mellitus among the Yoruba-speaking people of South-Western Nigeria.” A study on the effect of plantains on Desoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-induced hypertension in rats indicates that chronic consumption of plantain diet is capable of lowering the DOCA-induced elevated mean arterial pressure in rats. They wrote: “DOCA administration to rats placed on normal rat feed elevated the mean arterial blood pressure. The consumption of plantain diet by rats previously treated with DOCA lowered the mean arterial blood pressure to control values. DOCA administration to rats previously placed on plantain diet produced no significant change in the mean arterial blood pressure when compared with control.” Plantain is also recommended for the treatment of urinary stones. The stem juices of Musa paradisiaca have been reported for dissolving pre-formed stones and in preventing the formation of stones in the urinary bladder of rats. Stem juice is also used in nervous affectations like epilepsy, hysteria and in dysentery and diarrhoea. Several oligosaccharides comprising fructose, xylose, galactose, glucose and mannose occur naturally in plantain, making it an excellent prebiotic for the selective growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestine.
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