EFFECT OF SELECTED EGYPTIAN LEGUMES AND CEREALS ON URIC ACID METABOLISM AND RENAL FUNCTIONS IN RATS

Abstract

Serum uric acid (SUA) is the end product of purine metabolism. In humans, alterations in endogenous production or excretion of uric acid may produce hyperuricemia, associated with clinical diseases such as gout or uric acid kidney stones.

Legumes are a valuable source of protein, calcium, iron, thiamine and riboflavin in poorer areas of the world. For some reason, in many parts of the world especially in the tropics, since most legume seeds contain less than optimal amounts of sulphur amino acids, there is a tendency to consider them as nutritionally inferior to meat and fish, in spite of the very health-promoting properties of properly cooked legumes.

The current study aimed at identify the effect of legumes and cereals on uric acid and renal functions in normal and hyperuricemic rats, beside find out which kind of legumes elevate serum uric acid more than others.

The studied materials consist of four public legumes; faba bean (vicia faba L,), lentils (lens culinaris medik, peeled), moth bean (vigna aconitifolia Uacq.) marechal}, and common bean (Phaseoo/us au/garis • L.) and two cereals: white rice and wheat.

After soaking for 6 hours in water, faba bean, moth bean, common bean, and wheat; were boiled in sufficient amount of water. All tested legumes and cereals were cooked with conventional methods.

A sample of boiling foods was taken for protein, fat, moisture, and ash determination. The rest were dried for experimental diets.

The crude protein, fat, moisture and ash contents were determined according to the methods described by the AOAC (1995).