Abstract:
African finger millet (Digitaria exilis Stapf) grains and sandpaper leaf (Ficus exasperata Vahl) are commonly used by locals in the management of diabetes and hypertension respectively. However, this study sought to produce cookies from Digitaria exilis and Ficus exasperata composite flour and evaluate their ameliorative potentials in streptozotocin (STZ)/Nω-nitro-L-arginine methylester hydrochloride (L-NAME) induced hypertensive-diabetic rats. Flour blends with varying percentage inclusions of F. exasperata flour were used in the production of cookies, designated as AGF (0%), ASF-1.25 (1.25%), ASF-2.5 (2.5%), ASF-3.75 (3.75%) and ASF-5.0 (5.0%) respectively. The amylose, amylopectin, sugar, starch contents and glycemic indices (GI) of the cookies were determined. Thereafter, organoleptic properties, total phenolic, total flavonoid contents, in vitro antioxidant, and in vitro effect on relevant enzymes linked to diabetes and hypertension as well as cookies anti-diabetic and anti-hypertensive properties in hypertensive-diabetic (HD) rats were determined. The results revealed that these cookies had higher amylopectin, low amylose, low starch, and sugar content, as well as low to medium glycemic indices. Furthermore, cookies with F. exasperata flour inclusion exhibited significantly higher total phenol, flavonoid contents, and antioxidant properties than cookies without F. exasperata inclusion. Cookies with high overall acceptability were selected for anti-hypertensive-diabetic study. Also, cookies caused significant reduction in elevated fasting blood glucose (FBG), blood pressure (BP), α-amylase, α-glucosidase, angiotensin-1-converting enzyme (ACE) activity as well as enhanced antioxidant status of HD rats. These cookies could offer dietary approach in the management metabolic syndrome associated with HD state. Nevertheless, cookies with ASF-3.75 sandpaper leaf had better ameliorative effect than other cookies in HD state.
