Geophagia: Benefits and potential toxicity to human-A review.

Geophagy is the habit of consuming clay soil such as chalk or kaolin. Though it is globally practiced, the safety of those involved is yet to be fully established. It is thought to be highly prevalent in pregnant women because of its antinausea or therapeutic effects.

Effect of controlled differential sieving processing on micronutrient contents and in vivo antioxidant activities of L. calyxes powder.

Sun-dried calyxes of were finely grinded and fractionated by controlled differential sieving processing (CDSp) into four granulometric classes. The obtained powder fractions were examined for their micronutrient contents and in vivo antioxidant properties in high-fat diet induced oxidation model rats. Unsieved powder and lyophilized ethanolic extract were used for comparison.

Acceptability and solubility of iron and zinc contents of modified sauces consumed in the Far-north region of Cameroon.

Consumption of leaves is a local and inexpensive solution to iron and zinc deficiencies in the Far-north region of Cameroon. However, traditional household's cooking techniques result in sauces with high pH levels and low leaves incorporation rates that compromise the bioavailability of iron and zinc. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of modifying a standard Moringa sauce on consumer acceptability and the solubility of iron and zinc, which is an indicator of their bioavailability.

Physicochemical and micro-structural properties of flours, starch and proteins from two varieties of legumes: bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea).

This work is part of a large study aimed to evaluate the potential of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) flour as starting raw material for the preparation of a widely cherished legume-based food product known as koki. Towards this objective, the flours from two varieties of bambara groundnut along with their respective starch and protein isolates were analyzed for some physicochemical and microstructural properties. It was observed that bambara flour contained appreciable amount of proteins (24.

Impact of daily supplementation of Spirulina platensis on the immune system of naïve HIV-1 patients in Cameroon: a 12-months single blind, randomized, multicenter trial.

Background: Micronutrient deficiencies occur early in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections they have reverse effects on the nutritional status. The diet supplementation with a natural nutraceutical rich in proteins and micronutrient like Spirulina platensis, may be effective and efficient in delaying HIV disease progression by frequently reported improvement in immune response.

Methods: A prospective single-blind, randomized, multicenter study conducted on 320 HIV-1 ARV-naïve participants for 12 months.

Effects of Spirulina platensis supplementation on lipid profile in HIV-infected antiretroviral naïve patients in Yaounde-Cameroon: a randomized trial study.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and metabolic alterations are among the majors public health concern that have been reported in people living with HIV infections. Factors contributing to cardio metabolic syndrome in HIV include body fat distribution, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, cardiovascular dysfunction and inflammation. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of Spirulina platensis (Cyanobacteriaceae) supplementation versus local diet on lipid profile in HIV-infected antiretroviral-naive patients.