Impact of products from ground buckwheat added to balanced diets on biochemical blood markers in Wistar rats.

Background: It is believed that buckwheat can be used as a functional food ingredient in the prevention and treatment of diet-related diseases, e.g., atherosclerosis, hypertension, obesity, constipation and cancers. The use of buckwheat protein preparations in the diet for experimental animals had a significant effect on the reduction of cholesterol level in their blood serum, liver and gall bladder, and additionally inhibited the formation of gall stones as a result of changes in cholesterol metabolism. Buckwheat protein extracts have additionally been shown to reduce the level of LDL and VLDL fractions.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different products from ground buckwheat nuts (flour, meal and bran) and bread with their addition applied in balanced diets on selected biochemical blood markers in Wistar rats.

Material And Methods: The study was conducted with 64 male Wistar rats. Animals received a semi-synthetic diet AIN 93M with 20% addition of buckwheat flour, meal or bran and containing 20% rye-buckwheat bread made with 35% buck- wheat flour, meal or bran, respectively. The animals were fed the experimental diets for 4 weeks. Whole blood was used to measure hematocrit and hemoglobin concentrations. The contents of glucose, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides were determined in the blood serum using BioSystem biochemical tests.

Results: There was no significant effect of 20% addition of ground buckwheat products (buckwheat flour, meal and bran) or bread with their addition to balanced diets on hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration in the blood or the concentration of glucose in the blood serum of experimental animals. The study showed a statistically significant beneficial effect of dietary addition of buckwheat or rye-buckwheat bread on the reduction of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides (TGC) in the blood serum of rats.

Conclusions: A statistically significant decrease was demonstrated in LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood serum of animals fed diets with 20% addition of ground buckwheat products (buckwheat flour, meal and bran) and rye-buckwheat bread containing these products.