South Asian Research Journal of Natural Products

Background: Diabetes mellitus has assumed a Public Health prominence as a result of the global prevalence, mortality and disability. With effective and affordable management not universally in focus, as a result of the huge financial burden associated with its management, attention has been shifted to medicinal food plants, most of which have been administered singly. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of flour blend of the commonly consumed cocoyam, Bambara groundnut and soya beans, on the serum lipid, bilirubin and inflammatory biomarkers` levels, in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (SIDRs), in order to build scientific evidence on the use of such food mix by diabetics. Methodology: Locally sourced cocoyam (CY) roots, Bambara groundnut (BGN) and Soya bean (SB) seeds were peeled in the case of cocoyam, washed, boiled and dried separately with oven-dryer, until constant weights were obtained, before grounding them and the formulations blended and pelletized. The three controls and seven intervention groups were appropriately placed on commercial rat feed, metformin and the pelletized flour blends for 28 days, after which, the blood specimen were collected for serum lipids, bilirubin and inflammatory biomarkers determination. Results & Discussion: The generated data were statistically analysed using SPSS, and one-way ANOVA, while the mean difference were determined by Turkey`s post-hoc test. Formulation 1(16.6%CY: 16.6%SB: 16.6%BGN: 50%RF)-treated rats had the least mean values of NFkB and IL-10, total and direct bilirubin levels, total cholesterol and LDLc, which were comparable to those of the normal control. Formulation 1 reduced the blood glucose level by 13.02%, just like the anti-diabetic drug, which reduced same by 19.99%, when compared to the negative control. Formulation 1 and the antidiabetic drug, equally significantly reduced Total cholesterol (TC) and Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) levels by 12.53% and 24.71% respectively when compared to the diabetic control.  Conclusion: Various formulations of the Cocoyam-bambara groundnut-soya bean flour blend, exerted varying effects on the inflammatory biomarkers, serum bilirubin and lipid profile in SIDRs, with formulation one showing more potent hypocholesterolamic and anti-inflammatory activities than the antidiabetic drug. These findings underscores the possibility of using such plant food mix in the management and prevention of T2DM, and hence opens the gate for clinical trials in human subjects.