Hematological and biochemical changes in diabetic rats fed with fiber-enriched cake

There have been emerging interests in functional foods, which fall in the gray area between conventional foods and medicine, over the years owing to their health benefits. In this study, the effect of fiber-enriched cake, produced from selected fruits, on the hematology and serum biochemistry of diabetic rats was investigated. Materials and methods: Diabetes was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of alloxan. Treatment lasted for 14 days, after which the rats were sacrificed humanely. Blood was collected by cardiac puncture and some of it was centrifuged to obtain serum. The serum was analyzed to evaluate alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, creatinine, urea, albumin, and lipid profiles. The uncentrifuged blood was analyzed for hematological profile. Results: The rats fed on the cake had increased levels of red blood cells, hemoglobin, packed cell volume, red blood cells, and platelets compared to the untreated diabetic rats. Elevated levels of alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, creatinine, urea, and albumin were observed in the diabetic rats; this was significantly reduced in the cake-fed group. Induction of diabetes led to increased levels of cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and triglyceride, and a low level of high-density lipoprotein. These results were significantly reversed, except for the triglyceride level, in the cake-fed group. Conclusion: These results indicate the potentials of the fiber-enriched cake as a functional food with a therapeutic effect against hematological and biochemical changes associated with diabetes mellitus. Consequently, such a cake can serve as an adjunct to dietary therapy for diabetes.