This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of camel milk in alloxan-induced diabetic dogs and to follow this effect at three doses of milk. Firstly, three groups of dogs were used: two groups composed each of four diabetic dogs and receiving raw camel milk (treatment 1) or cow milk (treatment 2), and four healthy dogs getting raw camel milk (treatment 3) were used as control. Each animal was treated with 500 ml of milk daily. Secondly, we compared the effects of three amounts of camel milk: 100 ml, 250 ml and 500 ml to treat the diabetic dogs. After week 3, the dogs treated with camel milk showed a statistically significant decrease in blood glucose (from 10.88 +/- 0.55 to 6.22 +/- 0.5 mmol/l) and total protein concentrations (from 78.16 +/- 2.61 g/l to 63.63 +/- 4.43 g/l). For cholesterol levels, there was a decrease from week 2 (from 6.17 +/- 0.5 mmol/l to 4.79 +/- 0.5 mmol/l). There were no significant difference in blood glucose, cholesterol or total protein concentrations in dogs drinking 250 and 500 ml of camel milk. The dogs treated with 100 ml of camel milk did not show any significant decrease in blood glucose levels, and cholesterol and total protein concentrations. The investigation was not limited to the improvement in glycemic balance, lipids and proteins control in diabetic dogs getting camel milk, but we also noted a stability of this state after the dogs stopped to drink milk. This effect depended on the quantity of camel milk used to treat diabetic dogs.

RésuméLa composition physicochimique du lait de chamelle est variable selon l'alimentation des animaux, les conditions environnementales ainsi que la période de lactation. Dans le but de déterminer la composition du lait de chamelle du sud tunisien, le lait camelin de la région a été comparé à celui bovin sur le plan de l'acidité et du pH du lait des deux espèces en fonction de la température du milieu. Le lait de chamelle est plus acide (17,25 ± 1,035°D) et moins dense (d= 1,027± 0,003) que le lait de vache. Le lait de vache est plus riche en matière protéique (34,15 ± 3,11 g/L), matière sèche (119,43 ± 15,34g/L) et azote non protéique NPN (1,04 ± 0,08g/L). Le suivi de la variation du pH et de l'acidité du lait camelin et bovin à trois températures différentes (température ambiante (25°C), à 4°C et à -4°C) a révélé une acidification plus lente du lait de chamelle dans les trois cas avec une conservation durant 30 heures à température ambiante, 7 jours dans le réfrigérateur (4°C) alors quelle est de 5 jours pour le lait de vache à la même température. La congélation du lait à -4°C peut ainsi constituer une méthode simple pour la conservation du lait camelin qui n'est accessible que dans les régions de sa production. Mots-clés :Lait, chamelle, vache, composition physicochimique, acidité, température Afrique SCIENCE 05(2) (2009) 293 -304Amel SBOUI et al. 294 Abstract Comparison of the gross composition of Tunisian camel and cow milk; Variations of pH and acidity at various temperaturesThe gross composition camel milk is variable according to the food of the animals, the environmental conditions as well as the period of lactation. This study is aiming to determine the composition of camel milk from south of Tunisia in comparison with cow milk and to follow the variations of theirs pH and acidity at various temperature. The physical analysis of milk showed that camel milk is more acid and less dense than the cow milk. Its viscosity (3.21 ± 0.41) is significantly higher than that of bovine milk (2.46 ± 0.53). The chemical composition showed that bovine milk is richer in protein (34.15 ± 3.114 g/L), dry matter (119.43 ± 15.34g/L) and Non Protein N (NPN) (1.04 ± 0.08g/L). The follow-up of pH and acidity variations of milk from the two at three different temperatures (ambient temperature (25°C, + 4°C and -4°C) revealed a slower acidification of camel milk ( 7 days at (4°C)). On the other hand frozen camel or cow milk can be conserved several weeks and thus constitute a simple method for storing up milk especially camel milk which is accessible only in arid lands.

_________________________________________________________________________________________ AbstractThe efficacy of camel milk on alloxan-induced diabetic dogs was evaluated in this study. Firstly, two diabetic groups of dogs received raw camel milk (group1) or raw cow milk (group 2). One healthy group was used as control in which dogs received raw camel milk. Five hundred ml of raw milk were given to the animals daily for five weeks. By the end of the first test, group1 showed a statistically significant decline in blood glucose (from 10.88±0.55 mmol/l to 5.77±0.44 mmol/l); cholesterol (from 5.99±0.15 mmol/l to 4.4±0.62 mmol/l) and in total proteins concentrations (from 80.06 ± 2.11 g/l to 63.56 ± 3.16 g/l). In this period, group 2 showed high blood glucose (8 mmol/l), cholesterol (from 5.99±0.58 to 7.13±1.25 mmol/l) and total proteins concentrations (from 79.18±6.07 to 84.33±0.56 g/l). This diabetic state was confirmed by Intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test. These dogs (group 2) were treated, in test 2, with camel milk instead of bovine milk and showed an improvement in blood glucose (from 9.83±0.72 mmol/l before drinking milk to 7.83±0.88 mmol/l in week 4), proteins and lipids profiles. Dogs from group1, which were used to follow the effect of camel milk by the end of experiment, showed healthy state: normal blood glucose levels (5.16-6.5mmol/l), cholesterol (4.14-5.51mmol/l), triglycerides(0.51-1.21mmol/l) and total proteins concentrations (60.77-69.18 g/l). It is obvious in this study that camel milk has a therapeutic effect on alloxan-induced diabetic dogs.

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This research was conducted to verify the effect of camel milk in diabetic dogs in comparison to cow milk and to follow the efficiency of this effect after heat treatment of milk (pasteurized and boiled camel milk). Alloxan-diabetic dog was used because it is a model of partial insulin deficiency and insulin resistance while simulating postprandial conditions in diabetic patients [10]. Materials and Methods Animals and diets Twenty clinically normal adult mixed-breed dogs were prepared for this experiment. Their body weight ranged from 12 to 16 kg initially. These dogs were housed individually in the Tunisian Veterinary Medicine School, Sidi Thabet. Animals were fed once daily with 350-400 g of commercial dry food (23% protein, 6% fat, 33% carbohydrates, 4% crude fiber and 3000 kcal/kg as energetic value; (DOGSY) from Tunisian Animal Nutrition Society) and 200 g of beef. This food was given to all dogs daily in the morning after drinking milk. All animal were controlled when drinking milk to be sure that all the quantity given was consumed by the dogs. Water was available ad libitum for dogs throughout the duration of the experiment. Experimental design Each test was divided into two periods, the first 5 weeks in which