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Abstract— A study was conducted to find out the II. MATERIALS & METHODS
therapeutic value of medicinal rice (Oryza sativa L.) cv. Njavara rice was collected from Rice Research Station of
Njavara. Njavara rice for the study was procured from Kerala Agriculture University, Moncompu
Rice Research Station, Moncompu. In order to assess the therapeutic value of Njavara rice,
For assessing the efficacy of Njavara on the blood sugar supplementation study was carried in which Njavara rice in
levels, a feeding trial for 3 months was conducted among grits form was prepared in the laboratory and was given to
five subjects who were diabetic and willing to participate selected human volunteers with diabetes mellitus.
but not on medication. Blood sugar levels were monitored
during 0, 45 and 90th day of supplementation. Conduct of case studies
The results revealed that for all subjects’ blood sugar levels For the conduct of the case studies, five human subjects
decreased after supplementation study. who were diabetic but not on medication in the age group of
Diphenyl picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging 40-50 years and who were willing to participate were
activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, superoxide purposively selected through personal interview. After the
anion radical scavenging activity and Vitamin E level were selection process, preliminary information regarding their
also ascertained. socio-economic profile, health status, dietary and life style
The findings revealed that after the supplementation of pattern and nutritional status were collected through a
Njavara, the DPPH scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical suitably structured questionnaire.
activity, superoxide anion-radical scavenging activity and
vitamin E level of the blood samples of all the five subjects 1) Socio-economic profile
under study have increased. In order to elicit information on socio-economic profile of
Keywords— Njavara, Rice, Antioxidants, the respondents details regarding age of the subjects, family
supplementation. income, type and size of the family, religion, educational
status, money spent on food and health care etc. were
I. INTRODUCTION collected using the questionnaire.
Rice has been used as a medicine by traditional healers Using the pre-tested questionnaire, the subjects’ food habits
from time immemorial. Kerala has an immense wealth of and dietary pattern were collected. In life style pattern, the
medicinal rice cultivars. Among the various medicinal rices, subjects’ personal habits like consumption of alcohol,
Njavara is a unique grain plant in the Oryza genus smoking, stress and strain in the daily life, habit of doing
indigenous to Kerala, widely used in the Ayurvedic system exercise etc. were also collected.
of medicine, especially in Panchakarma treatment.
Documents show that it has been under cultivation in Kerala 2) Nutritional status
for about 2500 years since the time of Susruta. Nutritional status of the selected respondents was assessed
Njavara rice, with a distinct gene pool and medicinal through anthropometry. Anthropometric measurements
properties, can be exploited as nutraceutical rice (Sulochana relevant to the study include height, weight and BMI and
and Bakiyalakshmi, 2011). Waist-Hip ratio.
Studies related to therapeutic value of Njavara rice are
rather limited. So the present study is an attempt to 3) Conduct of feeding trail
investigate the above said parameters.
Table.3: Fasting Blood sugar levels of subjects before and after supplementation
Monitoring Blood sugar levels (mg/dl)
intervals Subject A Subject B Subject C Subject D Subject E
Initial (Fasting) 193 140 140 150 250
Final 173 90 110 109 160
16
14
DPPH scavenging activity (%)
12
10
0
0.02 ml 0.04 ml 0.06 ml 0.08 ml 0.1 ml
Serum concentration
Fig.1: DPPH radical scavenging activity of subject A (before and after supplementation)
25
20
DPPH scavenging activity (%)
15
DPPH radical scavenging
activity (Initial)
10 DPPH radical scavenging
activity (Final)
0
0.02 ml 0.04 ml 0.06 ml 0.08 ml 0.1 ml
Serum concentration
Fig.2: DPPH radical scavenging activity of subject B (before and after supplementation)
25
20
DPPH scavenging activity (%)
15
0
0.02 ml 0.04 ml 0.06 ml 0.08 ml 0.1 ml
Serum concentration
Fig.3: DPPH radical scavenging activity of subject C (before and after supplementation)
20
18
16
DPPH scavenging activity (%)
14
12
0
0.02 ml 0.04 ml 0.06 ml 0.08 ml 0.1 ml
Serum concentration
Fig.4: DPPH radical scavenging activity of subject D (before and after supplementation)
30
25
DPPH scavenging activity (%)
20
0
0.02 ml 0.04 ml 0.06 ml 0.08 ml 0.1 ml
Serum concentration
Fig.5: DPPH radical scavenging activity of subject E (before and after supplementation)
90
80
Hydroxyl radical scavenging ativity (%)
70
60
50
Hyrodxyl radical scavenging
40 activity (Initial)
Hyrodxyl radical scavenging
30 activity (Final)
20
10
0
0.02 ml 0.04 ml 0.06 ml 0.08 ml 0.1 ml
Serum concentration
Fig.6: Hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of subject A (before and after supplementation)
80
70
Hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (%)
60
50
10
0
0.02 ml 0.04 ml 0.06 ml 0.08 ml 0.1 ml
Serum concentration
Fig.7: Hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of subject B (before and after supplementation)
90
70
60
50
Hyrodxyl radical
40 scavenging activity (Initial)
30 Hyrodxyl radical
scavenging activity (Final)
20
10
0
0.02 ml 0.04 ml 0.06 ml 0.08 ml 0.1 ml
Serum concentration
Fig.8: Hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of subject C (before and after supplementation)
80
Hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (%)
70
60
50
Hyrodxyl radical
40 scavenging activity
(Initial)
30 Hyrodxyl radical
scavenging activity (Final)
20
10
0
0.02 ml 0.04 ml 0.06 ml 0.08 ml 0.1 ml
Serum concentration
Fig. 9: Hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of subject D (before and after supplementation)
90
70
60
50
Hyrodxyl radical scavenging
40 activity (Initial)
10
0
0.02 ml 0.04 ml 0.06 ml 0.08 ml 0.1 ml
Serum concentration
Fig.10: Hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of subject E (before and after supplementation)
70
Superoxide anion radical scavenging activity (%)
60
50
40
Superoxide radical
scavenging activity(Initial)
30
Superoxide radical
20 scavenging activity(Final)
10
0
0.02 ml 0.04 ml 0.06 ml 0.08 ml 0.1 ml
Serum concentration
Fig.11: Superoxide anion radical scavenging activity of subject A (before and after supplementation)
70
60
50
Superoxide radical scavenging
(%)
40
activity(Initial)
30 Superoxide radical scavenging
activity(Final)
20
10
0
0.02 ml 0.04 ml 0.06 ml 0.08 ml 0.1 ml
Serum concentration
80
70
60
50
Superoxide radical
(%)
40 scavenging activity(Initial)
Superoxide radical
30
scavenging activity(Final)
20
10
0
0.02 ml 0.04 ml 0.06 ml 0.08 ml 0.1 ml
Serum concentration
70
50
40
Superoxide radical scavenging
(%)
activity(Initial)
30
Superoxide radical scavenging
20 activity(Final)
10
0
0.02 ml 0.04 ml 0.06 ml 0.08 ml 0.1 ml
Serum concentration
80
70
Superoxide radical scavenging activity (%)
60
50
40 Superoxide radical
scavenging activity(Initial)
30 Superoxide radical
scavenging activity(Final)
20
10
0
0.02 ml 0.04 ml 0.06 ml 0.08 ml 0.1 ml
Serum concentration