scholarly journals Twice the Amount of α-Carotene Isolated from Carrots Is as Effective as β-Carotene in Maintaining the Vitamin A Status of Mongolian Gerbils

2005 ◽  
Vol 135 (11) ◽  
pp. 2622-2626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherry A. Tanumihardjo ◽  
Julie A. Howe
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
Mongolian Gerbils ◽  
Vitamin A Status ◽  
Β Carotene

scholarly journals Cassava with enhanced β-carotene maintains adequate vitamin A status in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) despite substantial cis-isomer content

2009 ◽  
Vol 102 (3) ◽  
pp. 342-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie A. Howe ◽  
Bussie Maziya-Dixon ◽  
Sherry A. Tanumihardjo
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
Vitamin A Deficiency ◽  
Meriones Unguiculatus ◽  
Provitamin A ◽  
Carotenoid Content ◽  
Mongolian Gerbils ◽  
Serum Retinol ◽  
Vitamin A Status ◽  
Isomer Content ◽  
Β Carotene

Efforts to increase β-carotene in cassava have been successful, but the ability of high-β-carotene cassava to prevent vitamin A deficiency has not been determined. Two studies investigated the bioefficacy of provitamin A in cassava and compared the effects of carotenoid content and variety on vitamin A status in vitamin A-depleted Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). Gerbils were fed a vitamin A-free diet 4 weeks prior to treatment. In Expt 1, treatments (ten gerbils per group) included 45 % high-β-carotene cassava, β-carotene and vitamin A supplements (intake matched to high-β-carotene cassava group), and oil control. In Expt 2, gerbils were fed cassava feeds with 1·8 or 4·3 nmol provitamin A/g prepared with two varieties. Gerbils were killed after 4 weeks. For Expt 1, liver vitamin A was higher (P < 0·05) in the vitamin A (1·45 (sd 0·23) μmol/liver), lower in the control (0·43 (sd 0·10) μmol/liver), but did not differ from the β-carotene group (0·77 (sd 0·12) μmol/liver) when compared with the high-β-carotene cassava group (0·69 (sd 0·20) μmol/liver). The bioconversion factor was 3·7 μg β-carotene to 1 μg retinol (2 mol:1 mol), despite 48 % cis-β-carotene [(Z)-β-carotene] composition in cassava. In Expt 2, cassava feed with 4·3 nmol provitamin A/g maintained vitamin A status. No effect of cassava variety was observed. Serum retinol concentrations did not differ. β-Carotene was detected in livers of gerbils receiving cassava and supplements, but the cis-to-trans ratio in liver differed from intake. Biofortified cassava adequately maintained vitamin A status and was as efficacious as β-carotene supplementation in the gerbil model.

scholarly journals Small quantities of carotenoid-rich tropical green leafy vegetables indigenous to Africa maintain vitamin A status in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

2010 ◽  
Vol 103 (11) ◽  
pp. 1594-1601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. Ejoh ◽  
Joseph T. Dever ◽  
Jordan P. Mills ◽  
Sherry A. Tanumihardjo
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
Hibiscus Cannabinus ◽  
Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Provitamin A ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Mongolian Gerbils ◽  
Retinyl Acetate ◽  
Provitamin A Carotenoids ◽  
Vitamin A Status ◽  
Β Carotene

Leafy vegetables are important sources of provitamin A carotenoids. Information on their ability to provide vitamin A is often misleading because of the methodology used to assess bioefficacy. Mongolian gerbils were used to evaluate the bioefficacy of provitamin A carotenoids in tropical leafy vegetables (i.e. Solanum nigrum, Moringa oleifera, Vernonia calvoana and Hibiscus cannabinus) that are indigenous to Africa. Gerbils (n 67) were vitamin A-depleted for 5 weeks. After a baseline kill (n 7), the gerbils were weight-matched and assigned to six treatment groups (n 10; four vegetable groups; negative and positive controls). For 4 weeks, the treatments included 35 nmol vitamin A (theoretical concentrations based on 100 % bioefficacy) in the form of vegetables or retinyl acetate. In addition to their diets, the control and vegetable groups received daily doses of oil, while the vitamin A group received retinyl acetate in oil matched to prior day intake. Serum and livers were analysed for vitamin A using HPLC. Serum retinol concentrations did not differ among groups, but total liver vitamin A of the vitamin A and vegetable groups were higher than that of the negative control group (P < 0·0001). Liver β-carotene 15,15′-monooxygenase-1 expression levels were determined for two vegetable groups and were similar to the positive and negative controls. Conversion factors for the different leafy vegetables were between 1·9 and 2·3 μg β-carotene equivalents to 1 μg retinol. Small quantities of these vegetables maintained vitamin A status in gerbils through efficient bioconversion of β-carotene to retinol.

scholarly journals Bioavailability of β-carotene (βC) from purple carrots is the same as typical orange carrots while high-βC carrots increase βC stores in Mongolian gerbils(Meriones unguiculatus)

2006 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 258-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mandy Porter Dosti ◽  
Jordan P. Mills ◽  
Philipp W. Simon ◽  
Sherry A. Tanumihardjo
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Vitamin A ◽  
Phenolic Acids ◽  
Health Problem ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Meriones Unguiculatus ◽  
Mongolian Gerbils ◽  
Alternative Source ◽  
Β Carotene

Vitamin A (VA) deficiency is a worldwide public health problem. Biofortifying existing sources of β-carotene (βC) and increasing dietary βC could help combat the issue. Two studies were performed to investigate the relative βC bioavailability of a βC supplement to purple, high-βC orange, and typical orange carrots using Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). In study 1, which used a traditional bioavailability design, gerbils (n32) received a diet containing orange, purple, or white carrot powder, or white carrot powder +a βC supplement. In study 2, which included βC-biofortified carrots, gerbils (n 39) received orange, high-βC orange, purple, or white carrot powder in their diet. Both studies lasted 21 d and the gerbils were killed to determine the effect of carrot type or supplement on serum and liver βC, α-carotene, and VA concentrations. Liver stores of βC or VA in the gerbils did not differ between orange and purple carrot diets when equal amounts of βC from each of the diets were consumed (P>0·05). Both the orange and purple carrot diet resulted in higher liver VA compared with the supplement (P<0·05). High-βC carrots resulted in more than 2-fold higher βC and 1·1 times greater VA liver stores compared with typical orange carrots (P<0·05). These results suggest that high-βC carrots may be an alternative source of VA to typical carrots in areas of VA deficiency. Second, phenolics including anthocyanins and phenolic acids in purple carrot do not interfere with the bioavailability of βC from purple carrots.

scholarly journals Daily consumption of pro-vitamin A biofortified (yellow) cassava improves serum retinol concentrations in preschool children in Nigeria: a randomized controlled trial

2020 ◽  
Vol 113 (1) ◽  
pp. 221-231
Author(s):  
Ibukun Afolami ◽  
Martin N Mwangi ◽  
Folake Samuel ◽  
Erick Boy ◽  
Paul Ilona ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Preschool Children ◽  
Vitamin A ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Asymptomatic Malaria ◽  
Serum Retinol ◽  
Daily Consumption ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Vitamin A Status ◽  
Β Carotene

ABSTRACT Background Vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. Pro-vitamin A biofortified (yellow) cassava has the potential to contribute significantly to improve vitamin A status, especially in populations that are difficult to reach with other strategies. Objectives The study aimed at determining the efficacy of biofortified cassava to improve vitamin A status of Nigerian preschool children. Methods An open-label randomized controlled trial was conducted in southwestern Nigeria. In total, 176 preschool children (aged 3–5 y) were randomized into 2 parallel arms comprising an experimental group (n = 88), fed foods prepared from biofortified (yellow) cassava, and a control group (n = 88), fed foods prepared from white cassava, twice a day, 6 d a week for 93 d. Results A total of 159 children completed the trial (yellow cassava group, n = 80; white cassava group, n = 79). Children consumed 221 and 74 µg/d retinol activity equivalents from intervention foods in the yellow and white cassava groups, respectively. The treatment effect on serum retinol concentrations at the end of the feeding trial was 0.06 µmol/L (95% CI: 0.004, 0.124 µmol/L), after adjustment for baseline retinol concentrations, inflammation, and asymptomatic malaria status. No significant treatment effects were detected for serum β-carotene (adjusted effect: 3.9%; 95% CI: −0.6%, 8.6%) and gut permeability (adjusted effect: 0.002; 95% CI: −0.089, 0.092), but a significant effect was detected for hemoglobin concentrations (adjusted effect: 3.08 g/L; 95% CI: 0.38, 5.78 g/L). Conclusions Daily consumption of β-carotene from biofortified cassava improved serum retinol and hemoglobin concentrations modestly in Nigerian preschool children. This study was registered with clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02627222.

scholarly journals Biofortified Carrot Intake Enhances Liver Antioxidant Capacity and Vitamin A Status in Mongolian Gerbils

2008 ◽  
Vol 138 (9) ◽  
pp. 1692-1698 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan P. Mills ◽  
Philipp W. Simon ◽  
Sherry A. Tanumihardjo
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
Antioxidant Capacity ◽  
Mongolian Gerbils ◽  
Vitamin A Status

Comparing the vitamin A bioefficacy of β‐cryptoxanthin to β‐carotene from supplements and maize in Mongolian gerbils

2007 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher R Davis ◽  
Hua Jing ◽  
Julie A Howe ◽  
Torbert Rocheford ◽  
Sherry A Tanumihardjo
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
Mongolian Gerbils ◽  
Β Carotene
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