Antioxidative and hepatoprotective Effects of Vitamin-A Enriched Cassava / Wheat Flour Composite Bread in Rats Fed High- Fat and Induced with Streptozotocin

Background Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia and could lead to several complications including such as hepatopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy, as well as increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Functional foods development has become a cheap and an effective strategy towards the management of diabetes and its complication. Hence, the supplementation of vitamin-A enriched cassava flour in bread production could provide additional nutritional, bioactive constituents and health benefits. Purpose The aim of this study is to assess the effect of vitamin-A enriched cassava /wheat flour composite bread on the in vivo antioxidant status and liver function biomarkers in order to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of the bread. Methods Forty male Wistar rats, each weighing between 170 and 200 grams, were randomly assigned to eight groups with five rats per group. The control group received a standard basal diet, while the remaining groups were fed a high-fat diet (containing 30% fat) for two weeks before being administered streptozotocin (STZ) at a dose of 25 mg/kg body weight to induce type 2 diabetes. After induction, the diabetic rats were treated with various formulated breads for two weeks. A positive control group received acarbose (25 mg/kg body weight) along with a composite bread during the treatment period. Blood glucose levels were monitored every four days. At the end of the study, the rats were euthanized via cervical dislocation. Blood was collected through cardiac puncture, plasma was promptly separated, and the liver was removed, rinsed, and homogenized for analysis of antioxidant activity and liver function. Results The results revealed that the composite bread had a good antioxidative potential in rats fed with 100% vitamin-A enriched cassava bread plus cocoa powder (100% CF bread + FL) having a significant increase (p < 0.05) in superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase, and catalase activities in the liver when compared to the control rats. The value of total thiol and non-protein thiol also revealed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the diabetic rats fed composite bread as compared with the control. Also, the activities of AST, ALT, and ALP were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in diabetic rats fed composite bread with 100% CF bread + FL, showing the highest hepatoprotective effect. Conclusion The findings of this study indicate that bread made from a blend of vitamin-A enriched cassava and wheat flour may serve as a safe and effective functional food, offering notable antioxidant and liver-protective benefits.