Effect of Feeding Psyllium Husk (Plantago Ovata) Herbs on Rats suffering from Hyperglycemia

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of replacing wheat (72% extract) with psyllium husk at three levels (5, 10 and 15%) in bread production on rheology properties, sensory characteristics, baking quality and chemical composition in comparison with 100% wheat flour bread. Also the effect of rats fed on bread containing psyllium husk on blood glucose and lipid profile against diabetes induced by streptozotocin were studied. Thirty male albino rats of Sprague Dawley strain were divided into two main groups, the first group (A) (n= 5 rats) was fed on the basal diet only as a negative control group (–ve) normal rats. The rats of the second main group (n= 25 rats) were intraperitoneally injected with STZ at dose (30 mg/kg body weight) 2 times to induce diabetes and fed on basal diet (BD), then diabetic rats divided into 5 sub-groups (B, C, D, E, F) (5 rats in each group), group (B) the positive control group (+ve) was fed on the basal diet and four other groups (C, D, E, F) were fed on basal diet plus bread blended with (0, 5, 10, 15%) psyllium husk, respectively for six weeks, the prepared bread was added at 40% from the basal diet. Results revealed that the addition of psyllium husk to toast bread caused a significant decrease (p<0.05) in body weight gain, blood glucose level, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL-c) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL-c). Meanwhile these additives caused a significant increase (p<0.05) in high density lipoprotein (HDL-c) values in serum of all diabetic rat groups compared with the positive control group (+ve) without psyllium husk bread. In addition, the bread quality characteristics were acceptable by the sensory panel. Hence, psyllium husk is good for use as fiber enriching agent in bread production.