Bioavailability of iron from jambu (Spilanthes oleracea L.): a study in murine

Abstract

The present study evaluated the bioavailability of the iron ion from jambu (Spilanthes oleracea L.), typical herb of the Amazon Region. The sample of jambu was acquired in free markets of Manaus, Amazonas State, Brazil, transported to the Laboratory of Food and Nutrition of the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA) for carrying out the following unit operations: selection, rinsing under running water and immersion in sodium hypochlorite at 400 ppm for 30 min. Then rinsed in clean running water and dried in an oven with forced air circulation at 60^o C to constant weight for the determination of moisture, spray, homogenization and withdrawal rate for proximate composition analysis, dietary fiber and iron content. The remaining material was packaged in plastic bags in order to prepare the ration. The study involved periods: depletion with female rats during lactation followed by seven more days, only with the cubs and repletion. Twenty four male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus Mammalia, albinus variety, Rodentia) line were used for the biological assay from the vivarium of INPA. In the repletion period, the diets were formulated according to the recommendations of the AIN-93 containing 35 mg iron/kg^-1 diet, and for the experimental group, the iron source was jambu. Feed and water were offered daily (ad libitum). The results of this study demonstrated that jambu has a higher concentration of iron compared to other leafy. However, it was not effective for the recovery of hemoglobin levels of the rats, which demonstrates the low ferric bioavailability from jambu.