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Background:Diabetes mellitus is gradually becoming a global health burden leading to an increase in the search for herbal hypoglycemic agents as alternatives to synthetic ones. Asystasia gangetica is one of the herbs used in folklore system of medicine for managing hypoglycaemia associated with diabetes.Materials and Methods:The influence of the juice of A. gangetica leaf on alloxan-induced diabetic rats was assessed by treating diabetic rats with 25%, 50% and 75% fresh juice and glibenclamide for 5 weeks. Afterwards, the plasma concentrations of glucose, triacylglycerols, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and bicarbonate were assayed spectrophotometrically.Results:Treatment of the diabetic rats with the juice significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the elevated plasma levels of glucose to a level not significantly (P > 0.05) different from that of glibenclamide. The juice also significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the plasma lipid peroxidation and improved the lipid profile, as indicated by a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in the total cholesterol: HDL cholesterol ratio. However, there was a significant (P < 0.05) rise in the level of bicarbonate as result of the juice treatment from 28.15 ± 2.82 mmol/l in normal control to 60.83 ± 17.46 mmol/l in diabetic control and to 122.20 ± 34.68 mmol/l, 120.95 ± 35.09 mmol/l and 115.85 ± 11.79 mmol/l in 25%, 50% and 75% juice, respectively.Conclusion:Therefore, this inability of A. gangetica to prevent acidosis detracts from the potential of its usefulness in managing diabetes.

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Colocasia esculenta (Cocoyam) is cultivated primarily for its edible tubers. The objective of this work was to study the effects of frying on the vitamins, proximate and mineral contents of cocoyam by using three different oils (canola oil, soya oil and vegetable oil). It was also oven-dried which served as the control sample. The HPLC method was used for the vitamin analysis. The vitamin A content of dried cocoyam was the highest (0.275±0.007 mg gG 1) but it was greatly reduced in cocoyam fried with canola oil (0.034±0.048 mg gG 1) and totally lost in cocoyam fried with soya oil and vegetable oil. Vitamins D, E and K were totally lost in cocoyam fried with canola oil. The results of the mineral analysis revealed that the dried cocoyam sample contained high amounts of sodium (257.500±2.121 mg gG 1), potassium (128.350±0.354 mg gG 1) and calcium (320.050±0.000 mg gG 1) and there was a general decrease in the values of most minerals especially sodium, magnesium and iron. The dried cocoyam samples had high levels of protein (26.64%), carbohydrate (44.91%), moisture content (13.2%), ash content (2.14%), crude fibre (11.27%) but low level of lipid in comparison with the fried samples. Cocoyam fried with vegetable oil had the lowest level of protein (22.41%) and carbohydrate (16.8%) but the highest level of lipid (23.03%) and moisture content (27%). The results show that oven-drying retains most of the nutrients of cocoyam compared to deep-fat frying and that each oil sample has its own disadvantage.