HYPOGLYCEMIC EFFECT OF DIETARY FIBER FEEDS MADE FROM DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF MILLET ON STREPTOZOTOCIN INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Abstract

The ground samples of Pearl millet, Finger millet, Foxtail millet and Proso millet were evaluated biochemically and following nutrients were determined i.e. moisture, ash, protein, fat, crude fiber, lignin and cellulose. The fiber feeds were prepared with some necessary alterations to the Basic Purified Diet 93-G for rats, recommended by American Institute of Nutrition (AIN). The rats (n=36) were divided equally into 6 groups. There were two control groups of rats comprising of normal rats and Streptozotocin induced diabetic rats which were fed on fed on Basic Purified Diet AIN-93-G, while the 4 other groups were fed on Dietary Fiber Feeds (DFF) prepared with different types of millet. All of these groups were monitored for random blood glucose (mg/dl) for a six-week time period.It was found that both Pearl Millet and Finger Millet had a significant effect on the lowering the random blood glucose (RBS) level in experimental animals. However, Finger Millet proved to have a significantly (p<0.05) greater effect on lowering RBS than Pearl Millet.