QUINOA FLOUR AS HYPOLIPIDEMIC AGENT IN MALE ALBINO RATS
Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) seeds have gained a great interest in the last years, mainly due to its nutritional properties and its high content of good quality protein, oil and minerals. The result indicated in protein content was 12.9% on dry weight basis, while oil and ash content were 8.62% and 1.8%, respectively. The quinoa flour was rich in some amino acids as, Aspartic (0.93), Glutamic (1.69), Arginine (0.97), Leucine (0.72), and Lysine (0.64) g/100g protein, also quinoa flour was the highest content of oleic, linoleic and linolenic acid (2.52, 4.07 and 0.37g/100g oil, respectively).
The effect of diet containing quinoa seeds powder on hyperlipidemic rats was studied. This study (40 male albino rats) included that, the effect of quinoa flour (free gluten) on hyperglycemia albino rats (190±10g) divided to 5 groups. Group 1, rats were fed on basal diet contained corn flour normal group, while group 2 rats were fed on hyperlipidaemic group. Also, three groups were fed on diets contained 25% quinoa flour, 50% quinoa, 75% quinoa flour, respectively. Results indicated that rats fed on 75% quinoa flour the higher decrease in cholesterol level than diet 25% quinoa flour and hyperlipidemic group.Also, rats fed on different percent of quinoa flour showed a significant decrease in LDL compared with hyperlipidemic group. In contrast, there are no significant differences between the 3 groups fed on gradually percentage of quinoa flour compared with hyperlipidemic group. In parallel, there is significant difference in LDL content between diet fed on 50% quinoa flour and diet fed on 75% quinoa flour. Also, rats’ groups fed on different quinoa flour showed a significant decrease in AST and ALT activity compared to that of hyperlipidemic group. Results observed in rats group fed on 75% quinoa flour had the highest decrease in ALT activity compared with rats group fed on hyperlipidemic group and other groups. Conclusively, quinoa flour act as a hyperlipidemic agents may due to omega fatty acids and branched chain amino acids ratios.
quinoa flour, free gluten, hypolipidemic