Bitter Leaf Extract (Vernonia amygdalina): An Antidote for Blood Sugar Reduction (Diabetes) Nmor E.I. and Odeh O.H.

Department of Agricultural Technology,
Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro.
Email: edithnmor@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Due to the high rate of carbohydrate intake which could lead to a disease disorder called diabetes, hence the need to evaluate the efficacy of bitter leaf extract on the reduction of blood sugar (diabetes). The amount of sugar present in six starchy food:
cassava flakes, yam, maize flour, cassava starch, fufu paste and bread was evaluated and the effect of bitter leaf extract on the reduction of blood sugar was taken. The result revealed that for the amount of sugar present in each food, cassava flakes had 0.75g, yam 0.43, maize 1.52, fufu paste 0.54, wheat bread 3.20
and cassava starch 1.0 while the result on the effect of bitter leaf extract on the reduction rate of sugar, the result shows that for the deep blue colour to disappear, it took cassava flakes 6 minutes, yam 5 minutes, maize 20 minutes, fufu paste 5.5 minutes, and bread 30 minutes,. The research shows that yam had lowest amount
of sugar and also had the least time for the disappearance of deep blue colour. It is therefore recommended that yam should be taken by the diabetic patients and the public in general to avoid the occurrence of diabetes in the developing countries
especially in Nigeria.