Asian Journal of Research in Biochemistry

Biochemical parameters, activity levels of marker enzymes and serum electrolytes of Wistar albino rats fed naturally ripe (control), unripe and artificially ripened mango pulp formulated diets were investigated. Ripe and unripe fruits were collected and used for the study and artificially ripened mangoes were obtained by wrapping unripe fruits with dark polyethylene bag; treatment with calcium carbide and by dipping into hot water. After ripening, the mango samples were air-dried, pulverized and used to formulate the 10%, 20%, 30% diets fed to rats for 28 days and their plasma collected for biochemical investigations. At 10% level of incorporation, plasma protein concentration in the control (65.63±0.12 mg/dl) was significantly higher (p< 0.05) than values for unripe groups (55.50±1.91 mg/dl) and calcium carbide (56.97±1.27 mg/dl) while Albumin concentration was highest in the unripe (41.33±3.58 mg/dl) but lowest in the calcium carbide (33.50±0.69 mg/dl) but at 20 and 30% levels, no significant difference was observed for both parameters. Billirubin was significantly higher in the calcium carbide groups but lowest in the control groups at all levels of incorporation while Creatinine and Urea revealed no significant difference at all levels. Marker enzyme assay showed significant variations only in the concentrations of Alkaline phosphatase and Gamma glutamyl transterase at the 30% level of incorporation only. Electrolyte assay revealed that at 30% level of incorporation, significantly lower levels of potassium were observed in the calcium carbide (3.43±0.06 mg/dl) group compared to the control (3.80±0.17 mg/dl).Thus, artificial ripening of fruits may adversely affect Biochemical parameters, activity levels of marker enzymes and serum electrolytes.