Animal Breeding

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Antimalarial Activity of Nigella sativa L. Seed Extracts and Selection of Resistance in Plasmodium berghei ANKA in a Mouse Model
(Journal of Pathogens, 2021-02-03) Yusuf Rahma Udu; Oyweri Job; Gathirwa Jeremiah
Chemotherapy plays a crucial role in malaria control. However, the main obstacle to treatment has been the rise of parasite resistance to most antimalarial drugs. Artemisinin- based combination therapies (ACTs) remain the most effective antimalarial medicines available today. However, malaria parasite tolerance to ACTs is now increasingly prevalent especially in Southeast Asia presenting the danger of the spread of ACTs resistance to other parts of the world. Consequently, this creates the need for alternative effective antimalarials. (erefore, this study sought out to determine antimalarial potential, safety, and resistance development of the extracts in a mouse model. Method. Methanolic and ethyl acetate extracts were obtained by solvent extraction. (e extracts were assayed for acute toxicity in vivo. Additionally, the two extracts were evaluated for antimalarial activity in vivo against Plasmodium berghei ANKA strain by the 4-day suppressive test at 500, 250, and 125 mg/kg/day. Packed cell volume was evaluated to determine anemia manifestation. Finally, continuous drug pressure experiment at 500 mg/kg and DNA amplification via PCR were conducted. (e amplicons underwent through Sanger sequencing. Results. (ere was no toxicity realized in the animals at 2000 mg/kg. Importantly, high parasitemia suppression of 75.52% and 75.30% using a dose of 500 mg/kg of methanolic and ethyl acetate extracts, respectively, was noted. (e extracts were able to reverse packed cell volume reduction. Nigella sativa-resistant phenotype was selected as delayed parasite clearance. However, there was no change in the nucleotide sequences of PbMDR1 and PbCRT genes. Conclusion. (e results provide room for future exploitation of the plant as an antimalarial
Chemical and Antioxidant Characterization of Dovyalis Caffra and Dovyalis Abyssinica Fruits in Kenya
(ScienceDirect, 2022-10) Mwangi Daniel; Waweru a Joshua; Mbaabu Arimi a; Eunice Marete b; Niamh Harbourne
Abstract This study aimed at chemical characterization of Dovyalis caffra (Hook.f. & Harv.) Sim. and Dovyalis abyssinica (A. Rich.) Warb. fruits from Kinamba Town (KT) in Laikipia county and Gitoro Forest (GF) in Meru county of Kenya. All analysed fresh fruit samples had low pH values averaging at 2.67. Other tests showed D. abyssinica- GF to be significantly inferior to D. caffra-GF and D. caffra-KT in terms of TSS, TSS:TTA ratio, and ascorbic acid content. Based on these parameters, D. caffra-KT presents itself with a higher potential for direct consumption as compared to D. caffra- GF. Proximate analysis of dried fruit pulps demonstrated D. abyssinica-GF to be significantly higher in ash content and significantly lower in protein and fat contents compared to the other two samples. There were insignificant difference in the fibre and carbohydrate contents of all the fruit samples. In phytochemical analysis, D. caffra-GF recorded the highest total polyphenol content of 1845 mg Gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g while D. abyssinica-GF reported the lowest figure of 1128 mg GAE/100 g. Flavonoid and simple phenols fractions were in the range of 18.15–26.85% and 73.15–81.85% respectively in all fruit samples. As for antioxidant activity, D. caffra-GF recorded significantly high scores in both DPPH and CUPRAC assays, and D. abyssinica-GF the lowest. The range of DPPH and CUPRAC scores for all samples was 1995–4993 mg L-ascorbic acid/100 g and 1384–2303 mg L-ascorbic acid/100 g respectively. The current study presents the nutritional and health potential of D. caffra and D. abyssinica fruits. This forms a good basis for future adoption and exploitation of these fruits.
Development of a Complete Meal From Underutilized Indigenous and Exotic foods
(Reseach gate, 2022-09) Arimi Josh; Musembi Amos; Kibowott C; Kiptoo K.; Awino Annett
Abstract A complete meal is a food served and eaten in one sitting whose nutrient variety has been optimized. Green bananas are a good source of resistant starch and dietary fibre while Irish potatoes are rich in starch and dietary fibre. Moringa leaves are rich in protein, minerals and vitamins while being low calorific value. Fig gourd leaves are mainly rich in vitamins. However, many people prefer ripe bananas as snacks/fruit to cooked green ones. Moringa leaves are mainly used for medicinal purposes hence rarely used as a food item. Exotic vegetables are mostly preferred in food processing to indigenous ones hence making the indigenous vegetables underutilized. Development of a complete meal using these neglected food items would improve their utilization. The bananas, fig gourd leaves powder was prepared that could be reconstituted at the time of need. The flours were blended into a paste and a pellet as the final product in a ratio of Moringa: potato flour: fig gourd leaves (1:10:1). The paste and pellets were subjected to proximate analysis and sensory evaluation. The proximate composition of the paste was 3.22±0.5, 12.83±0.8 2.86±0.2, 11.32±0.6% for protein, fat, fibre and ash. The product was formulated to provide the RDA for an average adult of 62kg. The overall acceptability of the product by sensory panelist was liked moderately by 70% of the panelists making it viable food product.
Evaluation of the effect of different types of stabilizers and salt on improving the physico-chemical properties of camel milk yoghurt
(The Inaugural MUST International Conference, 2022-06-30) Arimi M. Joshua; Mwobobia Florence
Camel milk is recognised for its nutritional and medicinal properties. Camels are very resilient can also withstand harsh and hot climatic conditions and produce milk over a long period of time when other livestock succumb. Converting camel milk into yoghurt can increase milk shelf-life ensuring its available during drought enhancing food security. However, processing of camel milk yoghurt is challenging due to weak coagulum which has unacceptably low viscosity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different stabilisers and salt on viscosity, titratable acidity, pH, water holding capacity and syneresis of camel milk yoghurt. Camel milk was obtained from Anolei women group, Isiolo County and transported to Food Science Laboratories in Meru University of Science and Technology. The milk was assessed for quality through platform tests. Effect of two stabilisers (starch and modified starch) and a salt on yoghurt properties were evaluated. The stabilisers were added in the range of 2- 3% while salt concentration was 0.075%. The fermentation was carried out under controlled conditions in a cheese vat. After fermentation, yoghurt was analysed for the viscosity, water holding capacity, susceptibility to syneresis, tritratable acidity and change in pH over six hours during fermentation and after 7, 14 and 21 days during storage under refrigeration. The pH of yoghurt with modified starch decreased with fermentation period (1-6 hrs) from 5.8 ± 0.2 to 4.3 ± 0.2, while for yoghurt containing starch decreased from 5.8 – 4.0. The water holding capacity increased with increasing stabiliser concentration from 2-3%. The susceptibility to syneresis decreased with increasing stabiliser concentration but increased over the storage period. The viscosity increased with increasing the stabilisers concentration from 2 - 3% during fermentation. At a concentration of 3% modified starch and 0.075% salt resulted in highest viscosity (0.173±0.01 Pa.s) which is similar to that of commercial yoghurt. This study shows that it is possible to manufacture camel milk yoghurt by adding modified starch and salt to achieve similar physico-chemical properties to available commercial yoghurts.
Proximate Composition, Energy Contents and Blood Sugar Responses of Stiff Porridge and Rice Meals Consumed in Kenya
(Meru University of Science and Technology., 2017) Ebere Rebecca Aya; Imungi, Jasper Kathenya; Kimani, Violet Nyambura
Abstract The term glycemic index has been used to categorize carbohydrate-rich foods on the basis of their blood sugar raising potential. Despite the existence of a table of glycemic indices of some foods, the glycemic indices of staple foods consumed in Kenya is still very scanty. This study therefore was designed to evaluate the glycemic indices (GI) of rice and stiff or thick porridge (ugali), the most commonly consumed staple foods in Kenya. Ugali is usually served with side dishes of cowpea leaves or beef and rice is usually served with either beans or beef stews among other accompaniments. The foods were analyzed for proximate composition using the AOAC methods. Glycemic index was determined following FAO/WHO recommended methodology. From the results of proximate analyses, it was established that the content of carbohydrates varied in the order: Ugali > rice > beans > cowpea leaves. Glycemic indices followed the order plain rice (77) > ugali and beef (71) > rice and beef (69) > rice and beans = plain ugali (62) > ugali and cowpea leaves (45) > plain beans (44). The GI values for these foods were significantly different (p<0.05). Despite this, all the foods had a high glycemic load (≥20). However, cowpea leaves and beans lowered the GI of ugali and white rice respectively. This GI lowering effect is especially important in the dietary management of diabetes mellitus

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