Background: world is facing explosive increase in diabetes mellitus. It poses a serious challenge to primary health care in developing countries, with negative consequences on the economy. This research is aim at evaluating the effect of Persea americana aqueous seed extract on alloxan induced diabetes rats. Methodology: Effects of the aqueous extract on groups of alloxan (150mg/Kg) induced diabetic rats was investigated. The blood sugar and body weight of the rats was recorded at two weeks and four weeks interval, and one week after the withdrawal of the extract. The test groups (III, IV, and V) were treated with 400mg, 800mg and 1200mg/kg body weight of the extract for 4 weeks. Results: A significant decrease (P<0.001) in blood glucose were observed in all groups compared to Group II. A significant increase in blood glucose (p<0.05) was observed one week after withdrawal of the extract. Significant increase in body weight was recorded in groups III, IV and V compared to group II at P < 0.01, 0.001 and 0.05 respectively. Conclusion: The findings may indicate anti-diabetic effects of the extract which may be due to certain mineral elements and phytochemicals, and increase in weight in could be due to proper nutrient utilization probably induced by the avocado seeds' extract. Avocado seeds may be of beneficial effects to diabetic patients.
Vegetable fields in Katsina State are increasingly being loaded with heavy metals through various pollution sources such as agricultural activities mining and traffic. Onion bulb samples from the three senatorial zones that constitute to make up Katsina state in the North West of Nigeria were collected and the concentrations of seven heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, Fe, Zn, Mn and Ni) in all the samples were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The health risk assessment methods developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) were employed to explore the potential health hazards of heavy metals in the samples on the children and adult population. The highest mean concentration (mg/kg) was observed for Fe, followed by Pb, Zn and Mn. While Cd has the lowest concentration with the heavy metals Cr and Ni being below detection level (BDL). Overall hazard index (Hi) for the heavy metals were within the safety limit. The overall cancer risk to the adults based on pseudo-total metal concentrations exceeded the target value, mainly contributed by Pb. Mn and Zn were the primary heavy metals posing non-cancer risks while Pb caused the greatest cancer risk. It was concluded that consumption of the onion samples from Katsina State may contribute to the population cancer burden.
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