Chemical and Pathological Evaluation of Jatropha Curcas Seed Meal Toxicity With or Without Heat and Chemical Treatment

Abstract

This study aimed to identifythe suitable detoxification method used to reduce the anti nutritional factors in Egyptian Ja stropha curcas (J. curcas) seed meal. For this purpose, moist heat, 0.07% NaHCO3, 4% NaOH and 4% NaOH plus methanol extraction was used. Nutritive values of whole seed were 27% protein, 30% oil, 5% ash, 4% fiber and 28% carbohydrate. Anti nutritional factors were determined in the whole seed to be 11 mg/100g phytic acid, 19 mg/g trypsin inhibitors, 1.5 mg/100g total phenols and 3.5 g/100g total saponins and were also determined in the treated J.curcas meals. Diet was treated with 4% NaOH plus moist heat giving the best reduced percentage of anti nutritional factors especially phytic acid, trypsin inhibitors and total phenols. Albino rats were used as an animal model to investigate the nutritional, biochemical and pathological alterations of the untreated and treated J. curcas meal. Wide nutritional, biochemical, cellular effects were developed in rats fed on untreated diet. Insignificant alterations were obtained in other tested groups fed on variable treated diets, especially with moist heat and 4% NaOH. This will confirm the efficiency of this detoxification method to decrease the deleterious effects induced by toxins present in untreated meals.