Background: Callosobruchus maculatus is an important insect pest of cowpea. The inhibitory effects of oil extract of Acalypha wilkesiana (Muell Arg.) leaves on antioxidant, neurotransmitter, and detoxifying enzyme in adult Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius) were evaluated under laboratory condition. The leaves of the plant were collected fresh and air-dried before the oil was extracted from them through cold extraction method while ethanol was used as solvent. Adult C. maculatus were exposed to 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0 ml of 0.5% concentration of the oil extract and were homogenized separately. The supernatants gotten from them were used as enzyme sources. The activities of SOD, CAT, GPx, AChE, CarEST and GST were observed with photospectrometer. GC-MS analysis was done to evaluate the active compounds present in the oil extract. Results: The activities of the enzymes increased at lower dosages of the oil extract (0.2 and 0.4 ml) and reduced drastically at higher dosages of the oil (0.6, 0.8, and 1.0 ml). However, AChE activity was more affected by the oil extract as it was almost inhibited by the oil extract. The GC-MS showed that 114 compounds were present in the oil extract of the plant while acetaldehyde had the highest percentage (46.07%) of the total compounds. Conclusion: Based on these findings, the oil extract of A. wilkesiana could be a good biopesticide for the control of adult C. maculatus instead of synthetic chemical insecticides.

The research was designed to ascertain the potential of bambara groundnut inclusion in wheat bread to improve antioxidant activity, modulate carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzyme activities, and lower glyceamic index/ load. Protein (g/100 g) (11.2—11.73) and energy value (kcal/100 g) (421.5—435.5) of the bread were significantly higher than commercial wheat flour bread (CWF—10.45; 388.7). However, developed experimental bread samples exhibited higher growth performance in rats, free radical scavenging potentials, inhibitory activities against carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes and low glycemic index than other bread samples. Nevertheless, experimental bread samples were rated lower compared with the controls samples as regards organoleptic properties. The study authenticates that WBO3—25% wheat, and 75% bamabara groundnut WBO3 exhibits higher potentials as regards nutritional composition, growth indices, free radical scavenging potentials, ability to modulate carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzyme and lower glycemic index/ load. Hence, WBO3 may be recommended as functional bread for hyperglycemia prevention/ management.

The effects of dietary inclusion of Bambara groundnut and sweet orange peels composite bread on low-dose streptozotocin and high-fat diet (HFD)-induced type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) complications was evaluated in the present study. Male experimental rats-induced T2D were administered with acarbose (standard) and fed with Bambara groundnut and sweet orange peels composite bread for a period of 14 days while monitoring their blood glucose levels. More so, the activities of angiotensin-Iconverting enzyme (ACE), serum aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and alanine aminotransferase activities, as well as nitric oxide (NO), reactive oxygen species (ROS), albumin, total bilirubin, creatinine, urea, and uric acid serum concentrations were assayed for. Diabetic untreated rats showed disorders in ACE, AST, ALT, and ALP activities, and NO, ROS, glucose, albumin, bilirubin, creatinine, urea, uric acid levels, as well as lipid profiles. Interestingly, these disorders were significantly ameliorated in composite bread diet-fed rats in comparison to the diabetic untreated rats.Meanwhile, the presence of polyphenols in the Bambara groundnut and sweet orange peels composite bread diet could have aided the amelioration of these metabolic disorders after the 14th day of administration. Finally, it was proposed that the ability of Bambara groundnut-wheat and sweet orange peel composite bread to treat T2D and its complications makes it a more successful therapy than medications that just target one of the diseased states. Practical applicationsDiabetes mellitus is a global and chronic disease that presently affects 536.6 million people alongside 1.5 million deaths directly attributed to it yearly. Several drug and medicinal agents have been employed for the management of diabetes but those drugs are mostly limited to the management of diabetes while the associated complications are most untreated, while drugs that can manage diabetes and its related complications mostly come at high prices. Therefore, there is an urgent need to evaluate legumes, such as Bambara groundnut, with proven therapeutic potential in the management of diabetes and its complications. However, the Bambara groundnut takes a long period to prepare for a meal, therefore including it in a ready-to-eat product will not only improve its acceptability but also add to economic improvement.

This study documents the possibility of producing bread from partial substitution of wheat flour with coconut meat and also provides information on its antioxidant potentials and microbial stability for possible health benefits to those in the rural area in Nigeria.