Bone and faecal minerals and scanning electron mic

Authors: Lowell Dilworth Felix O Omoruyi Walton Reid Helen N Asemota

Publish Date: 2007/06/12

Volume: 21, Issue: 2, Pages: 133-141

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Abstract

Phytic acid was extracted from sweet potato Ipomoea batatas and fed to Wistar rats with or without zinc for 3 weeks Animals were then sacrificed and bone and faecal minerals were assessed The ultrastructure of the bones was examined via scanning electron microscopy Phytic acid extract or commercial phytic acid supplemented diets D + Zn + PE or D + PE displayed reduced bone calcium levels 10127 ± 5911 and 11927 ± 4536 g/kg compared to the other test groups Similarly reduced calcium were observed in the control groups D + Zn and D fed formulated diets with or without zinc supplementation 21314 ± 1531 and 210 ± 688 g/kg compared to the other test groups The group fed supplemented commercial phytic acid diet D + CP demonstrated the lowest femur magnesium 372 ± 013 g/kg while the group fed phytic acid extract supplementation D + PE recorded the highest level 484 ± 026 g/kg amongst the groups Femur iron was highest in the group fed commercial phytic acid supplemented diet D + CP −11574 ± 241 g/kg compared to the other groups Faecal magnesium levels were significantly higher in the two test groups fed phytic acid extract with or without zinc D + Zn + PE or D + PE compared to all other groups All the groups which had phytic acid supplemented diets had significantly thinner bone in the trabecular region compared to the groups fed formulated diet or zinc supplemented formulated diet D or D + Zn These observations suggest that the consumption of foods high in phytic acid may contribute to a reduction in the minerals available for essential metabolic processes in rats

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