International Research Journal of Education and Technology

The study investigated the chemical composition of Irvingia gabonensis seed oil and its nutritional potential on streptozotocin-induced adult Wistar rats.  Thirty (30) rats of both sexes weighing between 100-150g were distributed into five groups of six rats; normal control (NC), diabetic control (DC) metformin, diabetic treated (DT) and normal treated (NT). The Results showed increase in body weight in all groups except DC which had a 20.72% decrease. The NC and NT body weights increased the most by 23.97% and 23.68%, respectively. The metformin group increased by 11.82% while DT increased by 3.37% indicating that the diabetic groups had body weights significantly lower (P<0.05) than NC groups. Blood sugar conc. in all diabetic groups increased above that of the normal (87.80±6.43mg/dL) at the beginning of the experiment with concentrations as high as (243.39±21.48mg/dL) for DC, (280.80±22.82mg/dL) for the metformin and (309.00±23.44mg/dL) for DT. NT had blood sugar levels significantly changed when compared to NC. On the 21^st day, blood sugar conc. in the metformin treatment (136.00±11.36mg/dL) and the DT (186.67±1.86mg/dL) were significantly reduced (P<0.05) when compared to the FBG at the initiation of the experiment (2880.80±22.82mg/dL & 309.00±23.44mg/dL) respectively. TC conc. increased significantly (p<0.05) in DC (119.15±6.25mmol/L) compared to NC (91.88±6.60mmol/L). the metformin group’s TC conc. (103±11.21mmol/L) decreased significantly (P<0.05) when compared to DC (119.15±6.25mmol/L). TC conc. In DT (117.11±13.17mmol/L) increased significantly (p<0.05) when compared to NC. NT had increased TC conc. TG conc. in the DC (115.46±16.41mmol/L) and DT (106.24±11.19mmol/L) were significantly increased (p<0.05) against NC (71.44±7.75mmol/L). TG conc in the metformin group (79.81±8.28mmol/L)  and NT (91.16±19.85mmol/L) decreased significantly (P<0.05) when compared to DC (115.46±16.41mmol/L). TG conc in DT (106.24±11.19mmol/L) increased significantly (p<0.05) when compared to NC and the metformin treatment groups. HDL conc. were significantly (P<0.05) lower (10.09±1.39mmol/L, 15.97±3.60mmol/L, 13.93±2.67mmol/L) in all diabetic groups when compared to NC (24.11±1.75mmol/L); whereas DC and DT were significantly lower (P<0.05) when compared to NT (21.98±0.47mmol/L). LDL conc. increased significantly (P<0.05) in DC (82.97±8.47mmol/L) and DT (65.93±10.65mmol/L) when compared against NC (53.48±5.44mmol/L). The metformin treatment (61.85±1.71mmol/L) and NT (58.61±6.80mmol/L) had conc. significantly lower (P<0.05) than DC.

Keywords: Chemical Composition, Irvingia Gabonensis, Seed Oil, Nutritional Potential,  Streptozotocin-Induced Adult Wistar rats