Effects of Consuming Different Varieties of Bambara Nut (Vigna subterranea) Seeds on Liver and Kidney of Diabetic and Non-diabetic Subject

Aims: Bambara nut seeds have been reported as a good source of food with high fiber and nutritional contents, and is consumed by persons with diabetes as one of the dietary therapy. However, the plant seeds are of different varieties and whether they might have vary biological effects on renal and liver functions is not fully known. This has prompted the study to evaluate effects of consuming different varieties of Bambara Nut seeds on liver and kidney of both diabetic and non-diabetic rats. Methodology: Four Bambara nut seeds varieties were dehulled and each heated at 60oC, cooled then grounded into flour using a mechanical grinder. The flours were used to formulate feeds which were given to different diabetic and non-diabetic rats’ groups as follows; group A (ALK01 feed), group B (ALK02 feed), group C (ALK03 feed), group D (ALK04 feed), group E (Basal feed), and group F (Normal animal’s feed). The animals were fed for 28 days then sacrifice, blood collected and serum separated and used for hepatic and renal parameters analysis. Results: The results of the study showed decrease levels of serum total protein and albumin, and elevation of AST and ALT activities as well as urea and creatinine concentrations in diabetic rats fed basal and normal diets, whereas, reverse in these parameters were recorded from diabetic rats fed varieties of Bambara nut seeds’ formulated feeds. Conclusion: Findings from the study suggest consumption of Bambara nut seeds of different varieties is safe and has ability to ameliorate diabetic hepatic and renal failure in a variety dependent manner where; ALK 04 is more likely the most effective.

Antidiabetic Action of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) Leaves Powder on Type II Diabetic Patients

Type II diabetes is a common metabolic disorder that is specified by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin action. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a medicinal plant (leaves, flower, and seeds) used traditionally as antidiabetic. This study is designed to investigate the short-term antidiabetic action of alfalfa leaves powder in patients with Type II diabetes mellitus. 12 volunteers suffering from type II diabetes were undertaken besides 12 healthy individuals. The subjects were divided into four groups including healthy control, diabetic control, which received an only meal, and the third and fourth groups were healthy and diabetic subjects which received alfalfa leaves powder within the meal. A standard test meal was supplemented with 8 g of alfalfa. The results showed that alfalfa leaves significantly (P = 0.03) reduces blood sugar 2 h after meal from 344.4 mg/dl to 300.75 mg/dl in the diabetic subject, in addition to the elevation of serum insulin levels (P = 0.02) at 30 min and elevation further creased (P = 0.06) at 120 min. This finding suggested that alfalfa leaves could be applied as a therapy against Type II diabetes.

Evaluation of visual evoked potentials in type II diabetes mellitus subjects attending a tertiary care hospital

Background: DM is the most common metabolic disorder in the world. The complications of DM take millions of lives every year. There is definite expectation to reason out both vasculopathy and neuropathy associated with DM leads to dysfunction along the visual pathway. The Visual Evoked Potentials (VEPs) as an electrophysiological method to assess conduction in type II DM subjects which is simple. This study attempted to detect earlier visual involvement before the clinical symptoms.Methods: VEP was recorded in 100 subjects (Diabetic 50 and Controls 50) P100 latency was compared between the diabetic and age, gender matched controls.Results: The study evidenced that the mean P 100 latency in DM subjects was found to be significantly prolonged when compared the that of controls.Conclusions: The study will help in supervising the earlier progress of neuropathy and earlier detection of nervous system involvement to reduce the morbidity of the diabetic subject and a special care to improve their quality of life.

Anti-α-glucosidase and antiglycation activities of galls from Guiera senegalensis J.F. Gmel (combretaceae)

<p>The hypoglycemic activity of <em>Guiera senegalensis</em> used in Burkinabe folk medicine has been already reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the in <em>vitro</em> antidiabetic activity from galls of <em>G.senegalensis</em>. The extracts and methanol fractions from galls of <em>G. senegalensis</em> showed strong α-glucosidase inhibitory activity compared with acarbose. The ethyl acetate fraction from methanol extract (EA/ME) showed potent antiglycation activity in an <em>in vitro</em> assay system. The galls did not show inhibition activity against α-chymotrypsin. The α-glucosidase inhibitory activity along with its antiglycation activity may open a new perspective for the use of <em>G. senegalensis</em> for the diabetic subject. The data suggests that consumption of <em>G senegalensis</em> galls as an infusion or in food and pharmaceutical preparations may be useful for the management of diabetes and its complications.</p>

Seminal vesicle abscess causing unilateral hydroureteronephrosis: A case report

Seminal vesicle abscess (SVA) is a rare urologic entity. It mainly occurs in subjects with predisposing factors and may be associated with other urogenital infections. We describe the case of a diabetic subject with SVA associated with funiculitis, epididymitis and obstructive pyelonephritis. Treatment consisted of laparotomic surgical drainage of the abscess and ureteral stent placement.