Thesis (MTech (Biomedical Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2014. / Over the past few decades, it has been shown that various critical diseases including heart
disease, cancer, and diabetes associated with free radical generation and low endogenous
antioxidant capacity, lead to oxidative stress and cell injury. In recent years, numerous studies
have also reported that antioxidants, present in various beverages, vegetables and some foods
have attracted a significant research interest due to their potential benefits to human health.
However, epidemiological evidence shows a correlation between the intake of food rich in
antioxidants and the reduced incidence of some mortality of chronic diseases, certain cancers
and coronary heart disease. The aims of this study were to determine the effects of rooibos teas
(fermented and unfermented) and green tea as a comparison on the biochemical parameters
and the trace element absorption in a rat model. In this study 4 groups of experimental animals were used. All groups had ad libitum access to
standard rat chow. Group A, the controls (11 animals), were fed with tap water; group B (11
animals) were fed with the liquid extract of fermented rooibos tea; group C (9 animals) were fed
with the liquid extracts of unfermented rooibos and group 0 (9 animals) were fed with the liquid
extract of green tea. All groups were fed for a period of 10 weeks. After the feeding period, the
animals were sacrificed by euthanization with intraperitoneal injections of pentobarbital. Blood
was sampled by cardiac puncture and centrifuged to obtain the serum. Some elemental
analyses were performed with X-ray emission and backscattering. ICP-OES was used to
determine the magnesium content. For X-ray emission, backscattering and ICP-OES analyses, 100 µL of each serum sample in a group were added to 2 ml freeze-drying tube. Of the
combined specimen, 100 µL was used for the magnesium determination by ICP-OES. The
remainder of the combined serum specimens for each group were freeze-dried at -80°C and
then pressed into a pellet. The pellet was coated with carbon and analyzed using X-ray
emission and backscattering. The elemental X-rays of P, S, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, Co, Zn, Mo, Ca
and Se emitted were quantified to obtain the respective concentrations. Biochemical chemistry
analyses were performed on each serum sample of each animal. The biochemical parameters
tested for were total protein, albumin, globulin, total bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase, blood urea
nitrogen, uric acid, total cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase,
creatine phosphokinase and creatinine.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:cput/oai:localhost:20.500.11838/2248 |
| Date | January 2014 |
| Creators | Kunsevi-Kilola, Carine |
| Contributors | Mars, J. A., Gihwala, D., Esterhuyse, A. J., Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences. Department of Biomedical Sciences. |
| Publisher | Cape Peninsula University of Technology |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/za/ |
Page generated in 0.0019 seconds