Effect of dietary tropical red seaweed combinations on plane of nutrition, intestinal morphology, organ weights, and blood biochemical profile in wistar rats

Abstract

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of primary, secondary and tertiary combinations of three tropical red seaweeds on nutritional status, intestinal morphometry, organ development and blood biochemical profile in Wistar rats. Fir this study, forty-eight Wistar rats were selected and divided into eight groups namely, CON (control), K (Kappaphycus alvarezii), G (Gracilaria salicornia), E (Eucheuma spinosum), KG (K. alvarezii + G. salicornia), KE (K. alvarezii + E. spinosum), GE (G. salicornia + E. spinosum),and KGE (K. alvarezii + G. salicornia + E. spinosum) and were supplemented with primary (K,G & E), secondary (KG, KE & GE) and tertiary combinations (KGE) of three tropical red seaweeds namely, Kappaphycus alvarezii, Gracilaria salicornia and Eucheuma spinosum at 3% of dietary DM. The supplementation of neither of the seaweed combinations (p>0.05) showed any adverse effect on plane of nutrition among the dietary treatments. The feed DMI, CP, DCP and energy (DE and ME) intake were found similar (p>0.05) among the eight dietary treatments. The length of the intestinal segments such as whole intestine, duodenum, colon and diameter of duodenum, jejunum and colon were uninfluenced (p>0.05) by individual three tropical red seaweeds and their secondary and tertiary combinations. However, the diameter of caecum was improved significantly (p<0.05) in groups received G. salicornia alone (G) and its combinations (KG and KGE). The supplementation of red seaweeds either alone or in combinations did not cause any effect (p>0.05) on vital organ (heart, liver, kidneys and spleen) weights. The haematological parameters, liver and kidney functions indices were uninfluenced by either of seaweeds and their combinations. The lipid profile was improved in almost all the seaweed supplemented groups with reduced total cholesterol (p<0.05) and LDL cholesterol (p<0.01), with increased tendency of HDL cholesterol (P=0.094) among the dietary treatments. The results of our study suggest that the supplementation of tropical red seaweeds either alone or in combinations would improve lipid profile and hindgut architecture without having any adverse effects on plane of nutrition, vital organs and blood biochemical profile in Wistar rats.