Biochemical and haematological indices of rats fed with different processed fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) seeds

Fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) seed is a perennial plant that belongs to the family of Cucurbitaceae. Several nutritional values of the seeds have been reported. In this present study, thirty rats (average weight= 133 g ± 1.25 g) were randomly allocated to 5 groups of 6 rats each and placed on a conventional diet supplemented with groundnut meal (control), unprocessed fluted pumpkin seed flour (UF_Diet), boiled fluted pumpkin seed flour (BF_Diet), germinated fluted pumpkin seed flour (GF_Diet), and soaked fluted pumpkin feed flour (SF_Diet) for 28 days after which animals were sacrificed and blood samples collected for biochemical and haematological analysis. Results revealed that processing improved the protein content of the seed flours. The aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) range from 210.70±2.14 to 517.5±5.39 U/L, 60.6±0.30 to 386.3±3.53 U/L, and 221.7±1.21 to 328.4±3.31 U/L respectively. Processing significantly decreased (p< 0.05) the creatinine content of rats fed supplemented fluted pumpkin seed flours when compare with the control and unprocessed groups. The hematological parameters were also significantly (p<0.05) improved by the dietary treatments. The result of this study revealed that germination, soaking, and boiling were effective processing methods for improving the nutritive values of fluted pumpkin seed meals.