Opeyemi Christianah Emiloju¹, Shalom Nwodo Chinedu^1,

This study investigated the effects of dietary supplements of two African eggplants, Solanum aethiopicum and S. macrocarpon, on weight gain and glucose metabolism in rats. FiftyWistar rats, divided into 5groups, were fed with diets supplemented with graded levels of the fruits as follows: Group 1 (control), 0%; Group 2, 4% S. aethiopicum; Group 3, 8% S. aethiopicum; Group 4,4% S. macrocarpon; and Group5,8% S. macrocarpon. Weight gain, blood glucose and liver glycogen levels of the rats were determined after 28 days. Results showed significant (p<0.05) reduction in weight gain by the two eggplants, marginal decrease in liver glycogen by 8% S. macrocarpon and no significant change in blood glucose level. Weight gain was54.63±6.96 g for the control; it was reduced to 39.80±3.37 g (27.15%) and 25.00±1.34 g (54.24%) respectively by 4% and 8%supplement of S. aethiopicum, and to 40.47±3.37 (25.92%) and 31.54±2.84 g (42.24%) respectively by 4% and 8%supplement of S. macrocarpon. Blood glucose level was 83.80±4.05 mg/dl for the control, 81.65±4.22 and 81.34±4.11mg/dl respectively for 4% and 8%S. aethiopicum supplement; it was 79.10±2.61 and78.69±2.21 respectively for 4% and 8%supplement of S. macrocarpon. Both eggplants exhibited a dose-dependent, weight-reducing effect on the rats. Solanum macrocarpon also showed significant hypoglycemic effect. These indigenous food crops could be exploited to mitigate the challenge of obesity.

Solanum aethiopicum, S. macrocarpon, weight gain, blood glucose, liver glycogen