title: Evaluation of some biological parameters of Opuntia ficus indica. 2. Influence of seed supplemented diet on rats.
abstract: The present research was undertaken to evaluate some biological parameters in rats fed with a supplemented diet with Opuntia ficus indica powder seeds. Feed intake and body weight of rats were measured every two days during nine weeks of treatment. Digestibility, feed conversion efficiency and protein efficiency ratio were determined. No difference in digestibility was noticed between the different diets. The results indicated a significant decrease in body weight of rats receiving a diet partially substituted with O. ficus indica powder seeds, probably due to a significant decrease in serum-free thyroxin (FT(4)) compared to the control group. In the treated group, a decrease of glucose concentration in blood and an increase of glycogen in liver and skeletal muscle were noticed. A significant increase in HDL-cholesterol was noted in the group receiving the supplemented diet with O. ficus indica powder seeds. These results suggest that O. ficus indica seeds can be used as a healthy food.
authors.affiliation: Alimentary Analysis Unit, National Engineering School of Sfax, 3038 Sfax, Tunisia. Monia.Ennouri@enis.rnu.tn
authors.forename: Monia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ennouri
authors.forename: Hamadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fetoui
authors.forename: Evelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bourret
authors.forename: Najiba
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zeghal
authors.forename: Fadhel
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guermazi
authors.forename: Hamadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Attia
mesh_terms: D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis*; D004068:Digestive System Physiological Phenomena; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D029747:Opuntia; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006003:Glycogen