Volume : 2, Issue : 8, August - 2013

Nitrogen Maintenance and Blood Constituents of Rats Fed Rat Chow Supplemented with 2 Levels of Dry Moringa Oleifera Leaf Extract

Madukwe E. U. , Ezeugwu J. O. , Eme, P. E

Abstract :

This study evaluated the nitrogen maintenance and blood constituents of rats who received 2 levels of dry Moringa leaf extract. The proximate, mineral, vitamin and phytochemical composition of the extract were determined. Twelve albino rats were used for the study. Each group consisted of four rats and they were allotted on the basis of body weight so that the difference between two groups will not be more than 5g. The first group (A) was fed dry Moringa oleifera leaf extract (10% protein level) and a commercial animal feed whose iron, protein and vitamin A composition was known. Group B was fed dry Moringa oleifera leaf extract (at 5% protein level) and the commercial animal feed while group C was fed the commercial animal feed and water only and this group served as the control. Means, Standard deviation and One Way Analysis of Variance were used to analyse the data. The results showed that the ash, crude fie, fat and moisture contents of dry Moringa oleifera were 0.04, 0.00, 0.001 and 96.68%, respectively. The protein and carbohydrate contents were 0.66 and 2.63%, each. Iron and calcium were 2.07 and 33.35mg, each. Vitamin C and beta–carotene contents were 6.26mg and 223RE, each, while flavonoids and alkaloids contents were 0.20 and 0.07%, respectively. Dry Moringa oleifera leaf extract maintained positive nitrogen balance in rats. Except in the nitrogen balance, all the parameters tested (serum iron, protein and vitamin A) proved superior in the test groups and differed significantly from the control groups (p< 0.05).