ANTI-NUTRITIONAL CONSTITUENT OF COLOCASIA ESCULENTA ...

C.2.2.3.3
C.2.2.4
C.2.2.4.1
C.2.2.4.2
Experimental design
All animals were acclimatized for five days under standard laboratory conditions. There
were two rats in each group for the short-term preliminary toxicity test (Groups A-E).
The animals were given their respective diets for six days: Group A received
10 mg ki1day-1 of beta-sitosterol; Group B received 5 mg kg- l day-l of beta-sitosterol;
and Group C received 2.5 mg kg-1day·1 of beta-sitosterol. Group D received the
equivalent amount of oleic acid and Group E received distilled water, both groups
performing as controls. The body weight, food and water consumption ofeach rat were
monitored daily. All animals were observed for clinical signs oftoxicity and mortality
throughout the study period.
Experimental test
Experimental design
The animals were selected and housed as descnbed in Section C2.2.3. They were fed a
standard, balanced diet of pellets and water was made available ad libitum. AninIals
were divided into three groups and received their respective supplemented diets for two
weeks: Group A received 10 mg kg- l day-l ofbeta-sitosterol; Group B received distilled
water as a control; and Group C received the equivalent anIount of oleic acid as a
control. Body weight, food and water consumption ofeach rat were measured daily_All
animals were observed for clinical signs of toxicity throughout the study period. After
two weeks, the animals were sacrificed by a quick blow to the back ofthe neck, after
overnight food deprivation.
Haematology
The animals were fasted overnight, prior to necropsy and blood collection. Blood
SanIples were collected in ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) tubes by cardiac
puncture, for haematological testing and in serum separator tubes (SST) for serum
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