Assessment of biological value of tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus) tuber oil meal-based diet in rats.

Abstract

The effects of Cyperus esculentus tuber oil based meal on the growth performance and its absorption in some selected organs (hearts, kidney, brain and liver) of rats were investigated. Twenty five weaning albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) with an average weight of 24.0 ± 3.4g were maintained on diets composed of Cyperus esculentus tuber oil meal (Tg meal) and soybean oil based meal (control) for six weeks. The weights of the rats were monitored on weekly basis, at the same period of the day and before being served the (weighing) day’s feed. The organs and carcasses of the rats were weighed after they were sacrificed and disemboweled, and the chemical compositions of the carcasses were also determined. Their was a significant increase (p 0.05). The organs showed the presence of Lauric, Myristic, Palmitic, Stearic, Oleic and linoleic acid using HPLC. It can be deduced that the oil of Cyperus esculentus tuber oil meal could competitively compare with that of soybean oil by increasing the growth rate of rats and in reducing accumulation of lipids in vital organs that can cause inflammation or constriction of the cell