Browsing by Author "Demason, Shirley James"

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    Effects of tea infusion as weight-loss agent in wistar rats.
    (Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2024-10) Demason, Shirley James
    The study evaluated the effect of tea infusion as weight loss agent in wistar rats. Parameters evaluated included the phytochemical content of tea infusion and their effects on body weight gain, relative organ weights, feed conversion ratio, lipid profile and proximate composition of faecal sample. Standard phytochemical methods were used to test for the presence of bioactive compounds in tea infusions. The infusions were obtained by measuring 150 ml of boiled water into a beaker, to which 1.5 g of tea sample was added and allowed to stand for 30 min before filtration. Eighteen male wistar rats were grouped into three of six rats each. Group A (normal control) were fed pelletized poultry feed and tap water ad libitum. Groups B and C were both fed pelletized poultry feed, green and black tea infusions, respectively for 28 days. The results of the phytochemical screening showed that tea infusion contained various metabolites; flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, saponins, phytates, oxalates, and cyanogenic glycosides in varied quantities. The results demonstrated that the green tea infusion showed higher phytochemical content (tannins: 28.61±0.11, saponins: 8.17±0.02, flavonoids: 8.43±0.03, alkaloids: 9.78±0.01, phytates: 0.29±0.00 and cyanogenic glycosides: 559.50±0.50), compared to black tea (tannins: 4.90±0.04, saponins: 6.35±0.02, flavonoids: 5.15±0.04, alkaloids: 8.70±0.00, phytates: 0.22±0.00 and cyanogenic glycosides: 335.50±1.50). Black tea infused animals consumed the least feed and had lowest digestibility, had a significant drop in growth rate and body weight gain. Tea infusions caused a slight increase in the relative organ weight of treated animals. The infusions lowered plasma Low –density lipoprotein (LDL) and increased the high-density lipoprotein (HDL/LDL ratio). The effect of tea infusion on faecal proximate compositions indicated that excretion of minerals, lipid and fibre were enhanced in treated animals while reducing the excretion of water and carbohydrates. In conclusion, the weight-loss recorded by animals fed black tea was due to the excretion of minerals, fibre and lipid which was triggered by the action of polyphenols present in tea.