الفهرس 
Medicinal plants, herbs and spicesOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
There is a great public interest nowadays in using of herbal remedies or medicinal plants which contain natural substances for their safety and culinary appeal, in addition, the human body needs numerous minerals to carry out its vital functions. On the other hand, few studies have been done on the effect of these plants on minerals utilization. So the present study aims to investigate the effect of feeding on sweet basil leaves as well as fennel seeds as famous herbs on utilization of some essential minerals such as calcium and iron. Also, to study the effect of these herbs on some parameters such as body weight gain, food intake, feed efficiency ratio, relative organs weight, liver functions, kidney functions and histopathological changes.
Adults’ albino rats weighing (120 ± 5gm) were used. Rats were divided into eleven groups, (6) in each as follows:-
Group (1): Fed on basal diet (control NE)
Group (2): Fed on basal diet + Basil leaves (BL)
(0.5%)
Group (3): Fed on basal diet + Fennel seeds (FS)
(0.5%)
Group (4): 50%Calcium deficient diet (50%Ca def)
Group (5): 50%Ca def diet + BL (0.5%)
Group (6): 50%Ca def diet + FS (0.5%)
Group (7): 50%Ca def diet + BL (0.25%) + FS (0.25%)
Group (8): 50%Iron deficient diet (50%Fe def.)
Group (9): 50%Fe def. diet + BL (0.5%)
Group (10): 50%Fe def. diet + FS (0.5%)
Group (11): 50%Fe def. diet + BL (0.25%) + FS (0.25%)
The experiment lasted for 7 weeks, feces were collected at the middle and at the end of the experiment, rats were sacrificed and organs (liver, kidney, spleen, heart and tibia) were removed then weighed.
Blood samples were collected for some biochemical analysis. Livers and kidneys were taken for histopathological examination.
The obtained data was analyzed statistically using computer. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was used to show the effect of these herbs on mineral utilization as well as Duncan’s multiple range test to show the significancy among means.
Results of this study revealed that:-
1- All groups of rats fed basil leaves had higher body weight gain compared to the other groups with no significancy. Both of fennel seeds and the mixture diets led also to increase BWG compared to the diets without any additives but less than basil leaves diets.
Food intake was also increased in the rats fed basil leaves or fennel seeds in the control groups and iron deficient groups, but it slightly decreased in Ca deficient groups that fed basil leaves or fennel seeds without significancy. The mixture diet led to increase food intake significantly in Fe def group and none significantly in Ca def group.
It was also observed that basil leaves led to increase feed efficiency ratio in all of the experimental groups but with no significancy.
2-There was a significant decrease in the relative liver wt of the iron deficient group fed basil at (P ≤ 0.05) compared to the negative control and iron deficient groups. As for relative kidney wt, there was a significant increase in the iron def. group fed fennel at (P ≤ 0.05) as compared to the positive control group fed fennel. While there were no any significant differences in either relative spleen wt or heart wt among the experimental groups.
3-Addition of fennel seeds led to increase Ca concentration in serum of rats fed Ca def diets and iron def diets with significancy at P < 0.01.
Inversely with Ca conc., adding of basil leaves led to increase phosphorus conc. significantly at p < 0.01 in all of the experimental groups.
The highest Ca / P ratio was in the iron def. group fed on fennel.
4-There was a significant increase in Ca conc. in the kidney of the control group fed basil, while all groups deficient in Ca showed none significant decrease in Ca conc. in kidney when they fed the different additives as compared to Ca def diet only.
Concerning Ca conc. in heart, there was only a significant increase in the Ca def. group fed fennel compared to the negative control and the other Ca def. groups.
Results of Ca conc. in tibia indicated that the addition of basil, fennel and mixture led to increase Ca conc. in Ca def. groups with a significancy in fennel and mixture groups only (P < 0.01).
5-When comparing the Ca conc. in feces at the middle and the end of the experiment, we noticed that most of the means values decreased and it was significant in the negative control, basil control groups, while increased significantly in both iron deficient groups fed basil or fennel at the end of the experiment.
6- Iron content in liver of rats fed Fe def. + fennel seeds diet showed none significant increase comparing with Fe def. and Fe def. + basil leaves. In addition, the same group had significant increase in heart content of iron compared with the negative control group while the Fe def + BL & FS group showed the highest value of iron in heart compared with all of the control and Fe def. groups significantly at (P < 0.01). On the other hand, there was a significant increase in the Ca def + FS and Ca def + BL & FS compared to the all of the control groups at P < 0.01.
7-Data of the iron content in feces showed significant decreases in iron excreted at the end of the experiment in all groups.
8-There were significant increases in hemoglobin level and hematocrit in both iron deficient groups fed basil or fennel at P < 0.01.
9-Both of AST & ALT activities were decreased significantly in the Ca def. groups fed basil, fennel and mixture, the same result was shown in the Fe def. groups fed basil or fennel, while there were no any significant differences among control groups.
10-According to the albumin level in serum, there were significant increases in all Ca def. groups fed the different additives and also in both control and Fe def groups fed fennel compared to the negative control group.
All values of creatinine conc. in serum was increased in control and Ca def groups, and decreased in iron def groups. On the other hand, urea conc. decreased in all experimental groups except this fed Ca def + FS diet with significant differences compared to negative control group.
11-Histopathological examination revealed very few to normal degeneration in livers of most groups, while kidney showed more degeneration which were existed also in rats fed no additives as Ca and Fe def. groups.
12- Organoleptic evaluation of prepared pies with basil leaves and with fennel seeds indicated that both had very good eating quality and may be recommended for production.
The present study recommends with following the best methods of storing the herbs and spices and consuming enough liquids with basil and fennel to protect kidney functions, it is also suggested to incorporate basil leaves and fennel seeds in some products for the school lunch program and doing further researches with different doses