ANTI-NUTRITIONAL CONSTITUENT OF COLOCASIA ESCULENTA ...

indicate that beta-sitosterol boosts lhe production ofWBC and could also have a possible
hepatoprotective function (Banskota etal., 2000).
Gross inspection of lhe livers, kidneys and small intestines revealed hardly any visual
lesions attributable to sterol treatment There were no remarkable differences in
variability of the histopalhological parameters in the groups studied. All lhe groups
showed normal cellular architecture, with distinct hepatic cells, sinusoidal spaces and
periacinar veins. Glomeruli, Bowman's space, proximal convoluted and distal convoluted
tubules appeared normal for alllhe kidneys.
The availability ofthe surface area for various aspects of digestion and absorption in the
duodenUlll, jejunum and ileum is very important for proper functioning of the small
intestine. Following lhe histopalhological examination, no adverse changes in villus
height or mucosal surface area were discovered in the dnodenum or ileum and, therefore,
no apparent effects on the functioning of the intestine were observed. None of lhe minor
changes appeared to be related to the exposure to diets containing beta-sitosterol
supplement. This suggests that beta-sitosterol is devoid ofany toxic complications or side
effects at the dose tested. These findings are in agreement with previous reports that the
liver and kidneys did not show any adverse effects after long-term exposure to oral
administration ofbeta-sitosterol in rat, rabbit and dog models (Swell et a/., 1956; Shipley
et al., 1958; Malini and Vanithakumari, 1990; Hepburn et al., 1999).
Intestinal ATPase activity was significantly increased in the control group receiving oleic
acid in their diet, in both intestinal locations. The Na+/K+-ATPase showed less
significantly elevated activities after beta-sitosterol intake, compared with rats in the
control group receiving the oleic acid. Information on the effect of beta-sitosterol on
ATPase activity is scanty in literature. Takabashi et al (2006) showed that ATPase
activity ofABACI (ATP-binding cassette protein AI) was reduced in a dose-dependent
manner by the addition of cholesterol, decreasing by 25 percent in the presence of 20
percent cholesterol. Beta-sitosterol, which does not have a double bond in the acyl chain
as cholesterol, showed a similar inhibitory effect as cholesterol. ATPase activity may be
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