ENZYMATIC AND HEAMATOLOGICAL CHANGES IN RATS (RATTUS NORVEGECUS) FED WITH DEFATTED OGIRI (FERMENTED CITRULLUS VULGARIS) AND MELON SEEDS

Abstract

Samples of ‘Ogiri’ (fermented Citrullus vulgaris); fermented with an attested strain of Bacillus subtilis (CRBS23) and unfermented melon seeds were defatted using extraction techniques. Diets containing the same quantity (20%) of protein supplement with 4:5 mixture of vitamins and minerals were prepared from the Ogiri and unfermented melon seeds and fed on starved rats (Rattus norvegecus) for 4weeks after which they were subjected to enzymatic and heamatological evaluation. The highest weight gained and protein efficiency ratio (PER) was recorded in unfermented Cucumeropsis manni (UCM), which was significantly higher (at 12??/m:t>"> =0.05) than others. Generally, the weight of organs of the rats from fermented diet groups were relatively higher than those that are of unfermented diets except in few cases. The highest Acid Phosphate (ACP) (230.2µmol/ml) was obtained in the kidney of rats fed with fermented Citrullus lanatus (FCL) Significantly higher (at 12??/m:t>"> =0.05) than all other diet groups. While the ACP activities in the heart and liver were low in rats fed with protein free feed (PFF) (114.38 µmol ml^-1) and fermented Citrullus vulgaris (FCV) (188.14 µmol ml¹). Rats fed with fermented Citrullus vulgaris (FCV) showed the highest Alkaline Phosphate (ALP) (230.54 µmol ml^-1) and Glutamyl Oxaloacetate Transaminase (GOT) (230.504µmol ml^-1) activities in the heart. Highest ALP (2678.30 µmol ml^-1) and GOT (80.60µmol ml^-1) activities were recorded respectively in the kidney and heart of the rats in diet group FCM. The ALP level in the liver varied significantly (at 12??/m:t>"> =0.05) among the diet groups while The GOT level in kidney was generally lower than that of the other organs and blood serum. There was a good indication in the research that the dietary protein was well utilized by rats thus defatted ‘Ogiri’ may serve as a good food supplements in animal feeds.

Key words: Fermented Citrullus vulgaris, ogiri, heamatological, Glutamyl Oxaloacetate Transaminase