Introduction: Owing to increase demand for safer and health promoting vegetable oils, a number of potential sources are being explored by researchers. Materials and Methods: In this study, oil was extracted using Soxhlet from Sokoto locally grown Cucumis melo L (honeydew melon). Physical and chemical properties (colour, moisture, pH, specific gravity, refractive index, acid value, iodine value, saponification value and peroxide value) of the oil were determined using standard analytical methods by Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). Results: The results showed the percentage yield of the oil to be 27.46%. Physically, the oil was yellowish in colour, liquid at room temperature, with pH of 6.2 (0.01), specific gravity of 0.89 (0.32), and refractive index of 3.62 (1.0). The saponification, acid, iodine and peroxide values of the oil were 45.81 (5.19), 9.16 (0.21), 64.80 (4.31) and 10.50 (1.50) respectively. Conclusion: The results suggest that the oil has a potential for use as vegetable oil, in industries and, subject to further evaluation of the contents, health promoting purposes.
Introduction: This study examined the antihyperglycemic effect of curry leaves, Murraya koenigii “MK” aqueous extract, and to examine its possible protective effects on the Islets of Langerhans and kidneys in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Methods: Thirty healthy adult male Sprague Dawley rats were randomized into five groups (n=6); normal control, normal treated with “MK” control, diabetic control (non-treated with “MK”), diabetic treated with 200mg/kg MK aqueous leaf extract and diabetic treated with 400mg/kg MK aqueous leaf extract. Blood glucose levels and body weight were monitored. The animals were sacrificed on the 30th day; the kidney and pancreatic tissues were processed for histological studies. Results: The diabetic control group significantly (p<0.001) showed considerable loss of body weight and increase in blood glucose levels and degeneration of the glomeruli and renal convoluted tubules and atrophied islets with disintegration of β-cells. Treatment of diabetic rats with aqueous extract showed significant (p<0.001) improvement in blood glucose levels and body weight gain. The MK extract also caused an improvement in tissue injury induced by STZ injection in the kidney and endocrine pancreas. Conclusions: These findings highlighted the beneficial effects of MK aqueous extract against cellular oxidative damage in STZ-induced diabetic rats.
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