Effect of soy groundnut mixed grain complementary food on the level of selected growth in male weaning wistar rats

Project Abstract

Weaning is a critical period in the life of mammals, including rats, where nutritional adequacy is essential for optimal growth and development. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a soy groundnut mixed grain complementary food on the level of selected growth parameters in male weaning Wistar rats. Thirty male Wistar rats aged 21 days were randomly divided into three groups Group A (control) received standard rat chow, Group B received a commercial soy groundnut mixed grain complementary food, and Group C received a homemade soy groundnut mixed grain complementary food. The rats were fed the respective diets for 28 days. Body weight, body length, and tail length were measured weekly to monitor growth parameters. At the end of the study, blood samples were collected for analysis of selected growth markers, including insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), growth hormone (GH), and insulin. The results showed that rats in Group B and Group C had significantly higher body weight compared to Group A at the end of the study. Body length and tail length were also higher in the rats fed the soy groundnut mixed grain complementary foods compared to the control group. Blood analysis revealed that levels of IGF-1 and GH were significantly elevated in rats fed the soy groundnut mixed grain complementary foods compared to the control group. However, there was no significant difference in insulin levels among the three groups. These findings suggest that the soy groundnut mixed grain complementary foods contributed to improved growth in male weaning Wistar rats, possibly through the stimulation of growth factors such as IGF-1 and GH. In conclusion, the incorporation of soy groundnut mixed grain complementary foods in the diet of weaning rats positively impacted growth parameters and selected growth markers. Further studies are needed to explore the long-term effects and potential mechanisms underlying the observed improvements. This research provides valuable insights into the role of complementary foods in promoting growth and development during the critical weaning period.

Project Overview

<p> <b></b></p><p><b><b>INTRODUCTION</b></b></p><p><b><b></b></b></p><b><b><p><b>1.1 &nbsp; BACKGROUND OF STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>Soybean<br>is one of the most economical and nutritious foods which can combat the<br>diseases stemming from malnutrition and the nutraceutical ingredients present<br>in it and can reduce the risk of major chronic diseases like cancer,<br>atherosclerosis, osteoporosis and diabetes (Vineet, 2007). Soybean is an<br>excellent source of quality protein and compares well with animal protein in<br>essential amino acids pattern with the exception of sulphur containing amino<br>acids. Soybean is the concentrated source of vegetable proteins. It contains<br>about 40%protein and 20% oil.</p><p>Proteins<br>are abundantly rich in lysine which is a limiting amino acid in most of the<br>cereals. Soy fat being highly unsaturated has been found to be nutritionally<br>desirable. Therefore, it can easily supplement the diet of poor Indians<br>(Chauhan, 2005). It has high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, such as<br>linoleic and linolenic acids, it is considered as highly healthful oil. The<br>ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acid to saturated fatty acid is 82:18, which is<br>highly conducive to lower the blood cholesterol. Soy food contains most of the<br>desirable characteristics therefore; it may be treated as consummate functional<br>food.</p><p>Soybean<br>also contains many minor substances, which are biologically active non<br>nutritive components known as “phytochemicals”, “isoflavones” or “phytoestrogen” also known as<br>coumesterol or “plant estrogen” very<br>similar to that of female sex hormone estrogen) with very weak activity of<br>estrogen, which offers unique health benefits.</p><p>Soybean<br>is a good source of niacin, riboflavin, iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium,<br>and phosphorous with several fat and water soluble vitamin Bcomplex (Tripathi,<br>2005). Soybeans are often called the “miracle crop.” They are the world’s<br>foremost provider of vegetable protein and oil. The bushy, green soybean plant<br>is a legume related to peas, groundnuts (peanuts) and alfalfa.</p><p>Soybeans<br>are included in the category of oilseed, which is a generic reference to crops<br>with seeds that can produce edible and/or non-edible oil in economic<br>quantities. The most versatile of the world’s major crops, soybeans can be<br>grown in a wider variety of soil and climatic conditions than any other major<br>world crop. Consequently, soybeans are the most widely grown oilseed in the<br>world. In the last 20 years, scientists have learned how to extract a much<br>wider variety of byproducts from soybeans that are proving beneficial in animal<br>feed, human food and industrial applications.</p><p>Rats have a long history in medical research.<br>They were the first mammalian species specifically domesticated to be used in<br>the laboratory. They are thought to have originated in some parts of Asia; <i>Rattus</i>&nbsp;<i>rattus </i>was<br>well established in Europe by 1100 A.D., with <i>Rattus norvegicus </i>commonly found in Europe in the 1700s. By the 1800s, these animals<br>were used for neuro-anatomy studies in the United States and in Europe. It was<br>in the late 1800s and early 1900s that individual stocks and strains had their<br>beginnings (Animals in research, 2013; Sengupta, 2013).</p><p>The success of the rat in research today has<br>been linked to the Wistar Institute in the United States of America, when in<br>1906, the institute developed the Wistar albino strain (<i>Rattus norvegicus</i>) (The Wistar Institute: History, 2007).<br>Currently, there are 117 albino strains of the laboratory rat, all of which can<br>be traced genetically back to the one rat, likely to have arisen as a mutation from<br>a hooded (piebald) rat strain (Animals in research, 2013).</p><p><b>1.2 &nbsp; STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>Soy<br>bean is a legume that is very rich in vitamins and when mixed with other grains<br>to be used as a complementary food can also improve hormonal functionality. But<br>in a situation of determining the effect of it in hormonal growth of rat<br>becomes a little bit problematic in the sense that there might be inadequate<br>instrument for the experiment to be carried out, secondly might be that there<br>might be no competent hands in the laboratory to carry out the experiment. Thirdly<br>could be that there are no good laboratory set up to carry out all the<br>necessary experiment needed. Finally, there have been several research carried<br>out on the effect of soya bean but there have been no single research carried<br>out on the effect of soy groundnut mixed grain complementary food on the level<br>of selected food on the growth of hormones in male weaning wistars rat.</p><p><b>1.3 &nbsp; AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The main aim of the study is to examine<br>the effect of soy groundnut mixed grain complementary food on the levels of<br>selected growth hormones in male weaning wistars rat. Other specific objectives<br>of the study include:</p><p>1. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>to determine the effect of soy groundnut<br>on the growth hormones in male weaning wistars rat.</p><p>2. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>to determine the factors affecting the<br>growth hormones of male weaning wistars rat.</p><p>3. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>to determine the extent to which soy<br>groundnut affects the growth hormones in male weaning wistars rats.</p><p>4. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>to proffer possible solutions to the<br>problems.</p><p><b>1.4 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</b><b>RESEARCH QUESTIONS</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>1 &nbsp; What is the effect of soy groundnut on the<br>growth hormones in male weaning wistars rat?</p><p>2 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; What are the factors affecting the growth<br>hormones of male weaning wistars rat?</p><p>3 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; What is the extent to which soy groundnut<br>affects the growth hormones in male weaning wistars rats?</p><p>4 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; What are the possible solutions to the<br>problems?</p><p><b>1.5 &nbsp; STATEMENT OF RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Hypothesis<br>1</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>H0: &nbsp; Soy groundnut mixed grain complementary food<br>has no significant effect on growth hormones in male wistars rats.</p><p>H1: &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Soy groundnut<br>mixed grain complementary food has a significant effect on growth hormones in<br>male wistars rats.</p><p><b>Hypothesis 2</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>H0:</b><br>There is no significant difference in growth hormones in male weaning wister<br>rats.</p><p><b>H1:</b><br>There is significant difference in growth hormones in male weaning wister rats</p><p><b>1.6 &nbsp; SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The study on the effect of soy<br>groundnut mixed grain complementary food on the levels of selected growth<br>hormones in male weaning wistars rats will be of immense benefit to the entire<br>laboratories in the sense that it will enable laboratory scientist to examine<br>the effect of complementary food on the growth hormones of wistars rat; due to<br>the fact that most laboratory experiment is normally carried out on rat before<br>carrying it out on human, it will therefore give them the result or the reaction<br>they seek in rat before human; this will give them a clue of what will happen<br>to human beings when they eventually take soy groundnut mixed grain<br>complementary food. Finally, the study will contribute to the body of existing<br>literature and knowledge to this field of study and basis for further research.<br>&nbsp;</p><p><b>1.7 &nbsp; SCOPE OF STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>The<br>study on the effect of soy groundnut mixed grain complementary food is limited<br>to growth hormones in male weaning wistars rat.</p><p><b>1.8 &nbsp; LIMITATION OF STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Financial constraint</b>–<br>Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for<br>the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data<br>collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).<b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Time constraint</b>–<br>The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic<br>work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.<b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>1.9 &nbsp; DEFINITION OF TERMS</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Effect</b>A change which is a<br>result or consequence of an action or other cause.<b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Soy Groundnut</b>The soybean, or soya<br>bean, is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible<br>bean, which has numerous uses.<b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Growth Hormones</b>Also known as<br>somatotropin, is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction,<br>and cell regeneration in humans and other animals.<b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Wistars<br>Rat </b>This is a laboratory<br>rat with its red eyes and white furs is an iconic model organism for research<br>in a variety of fields.</p></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b> <br><p></p>