EFFECTS OF NIGERIAN WALNUTS-TETRACARPIDIUM CONOPHORUM AND €˜UTAZI€™-GONGRONEMA LATIFOLIUM ON BLOOD LIPIDS, LIPOPROTEINS AND GLUCOSE VALUES IN ADULT NIGERIANS

EFFECTS OF NIGERIAN WALNUTS-TETRACARPIDIUM CONOPHORUM AND €˜UTAZI€™-GONGRONEMA LATIFOLIUM ON BLOOD LIPIDS, LIPOPROTEINS AND GLUCOSE VALUES IN ADULT NIGERIANS

ABSTRACT

The study evaluates the effects of Tetracarpidium conophorum (Nigerian walnuts) and Gongronema latifolium (utazi) on plasma lipid profile and blood glucose. The study was conducted on eighty (80) apparently healthy subjects (40 males and 40 females), within the age range of 20-55years who were randomly recruited from NAUTH staff, Medical students and within Nnewi. 20 were not fed with utazi and walnuts, 20 were fed with utazi, 20 were fed with utazi and walnuts and 20 were fed with walnuts. The parameters were analyzed using standard laboratory methods. There was statistically significant reduction in the level of blood glucose(3.85+0.14mmol/l), plasma cholesterol (3.60+0.43mmol/l), plasma triglycerides (0.73+0.19mmol/l), plasma LDLC (1.97+0.48mmol/l) and plasma LDL-C/ HDL-C ratio(1.32+0.44mmol/l) of the subjects that were fed with utazi for six weeks compared with their baseline blood glucose(4.92+0.31mmol/l), plasma cholesterol (4.56+0.67mmol/l), plasma triglycerides (0.96+0.20mmol/l), plasma LDL-C (2.70+0.67mmol/l), and plasma LDLC/ HDL-C ratio (2.11+0.72mmol/l), ( P<0.05). Also, there was statistically significant reduction in the level of blood glucose (3.94+0.16mmol/l), plasma cholesterol(3.34+0.28mmol/l), plasma triglycerides (0.62+0.08mmol/l), plasma LDLC( 1.46+0.42mmol/l) and plasma LDL-C/ HDL-C ratio(0.85+0.2mmol/l), of the subjects that were fed with utazi and walnuts for six weeks compared with their baseline blood glucose(4.73+0.30mmol/l), plasma cholesterol (4.39+0.62mmol/l), plasma triglycerides(0.91+0.11mmol/l), plasma LDL-C (2.5+0.66mmol/l) and plasma LDL-C/ HDL-C ratio (1.85+0.62mmol/l), ( P<0.05) with a significant increase in their HDL-C (1.43+0.22mmol/l), level compared with their baseline HDL-C (1.72+0.10mmol/l) ( P<0.05). Subjects that were fed with walnuts recorded a significantly reduced plasma cholesterol (3.43+0.60mmol/l), plasma triglycerides (0.70+0.19mmol/l), plasma LDL-C(1.70+0.51mmol/l), and plasma LDL-C/ HDL-C ratio(0.61+0.21mmol/l) compared with their baseline plasma cholesterol (4.44+0.82mmol/l), plasma triglycerides(0.92+0.23 mmol/l), plasma LDL-C (2.76+0.67mmol/l), and plasma LDL-C/ HDL-C ratio (2.24+0.54mmol/l), ( P<0.05) with a significant increase in their HDL-C (1.43+0.22mmol/l), level compared with their baseline HDL-C (1.72+0.10mmol/l) ( P<0.05). The result of this study suggests that Gongronema latifolium has hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effect while Tetracarpidium conophorumh has hypolipidemic effect.

EFFECTS OF NIGERIAN WALNUTS-TETRACARPIDIUM CONOPHORUM AND €˜UTAZI€™-GONGRONEMA LATIFOLIUM ON BLOOD LIPIDS, LIPOPROTEINS AND GLUCOSE VALUES IN ADULT NIGERIANS

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