Serum Biochemical Changes Associated With The Digestibility Of Raw And Heat Processed Cajanus cajan Seeds In Rats

Abstract

The level of anti-nutritive food toxicants in exotic breed of Cajanus cajan L. (pigeon pea) was evaluated in this study using an animal model experiment in which animals were fed with raw and heat processed seeds for 35 days. The proximate composition revealed a high protein content (23.21%±0.08), low crude fat (2.01 ± 0.00), carbohydrate (60.87 ± 1.01), ash (4.27 ± 0.10), moisture (9.89 ± 0.12) and crude fibre (2.12 ± 0.31). Phytochemical screening of water and methanol extracts revealed the presence of toxic antinutritive constituents; alkaloids and saponins. Animal feeding studies rated samples roasted and blanched for optimum times best in terms of protein efficiency ratio (PER) although their values were significantly different (p<0.05) from the control. Organ weights as % of body weight revealed low ratio for animals on the raw seeds. This low ratio, however, improved with increase in time of processing the seeds. Values obtained with serum biochemical parameters were conclusive about possible damage to the internal milieu of the animals in some of the groups.

Key words: Cajanus cajan, Leguminosae, Phytochemicals, anti-nutritive food toxicants, alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase

Nig. J. Nat. Prod. and Med. Vol.8 2004: 24-29