title: Effect of Unripe Plantain (Musa paradisiaca) and Ginger (Zingiber officinale) on Blood Glucose, Body Weight and Feed Intake of Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of unripe plantain (Musa paradisiaca) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) on blood glucose (BG), feed intake (FI) and weight of streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty four male albino rats were used and were divided into 4 groups of 6 rats each. Group 1 (non-diabetic) and Group 2 (diabetic) received standard rat feed; Group 3 received unripe plantain incorporated feed (810 /kg body weight) and Group 4 received unripe plantain+ginger incorporated feed (710:100 g/kg body weight). The weights and FI of the rats were measured daily throughout the experimentation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Groups 3 and 4 rats had 159.52% and 71.83% decreases in BG but 24.91% and 35.32% decreases in weights compared with groups 1 and 2 rats that had 2.09% and 22.94% increases in BG with 13.42% increase and 45.36% decrease in weights respectively. The FI of the experimental rats did not differ significantly from each other (P>0.05) at the end of experimentation. The standard rat feed contained higher amounts of Ca but lower amounts of Mg and Fe compared with the unripe plantain and unripe plantain+ginger incorporated feeds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combination of unripe plantain and ginger at the dose used in the management of diabetes was not very effective compared with unripe plantain alone.
authors: Department of Food Science and Technology, Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, Nigeria.
authors: Iroaganachi
authors: I
authors: M
authors: National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Nigeria.
authors: Eleazu
authors: E
authors: C O
authors: Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
authors: Okafor
authors: O
authors: P N
authors: National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Nigeria.
authors: Nwaohu
authors: N
authors: N
keywords: Diabetes; Dietary incorporation; Nutrient composition.; Streptozotocin