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Iron-fortified klutuk banana (Musa balbisiana Colla) flour supplementation prevented growth failure by suppressing FGF21 in malnourished rats

Abdullah Syafiq Edyanto (Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia)
Emy Huriyati (Department of Nutrition and Health, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia)
Ainun Nisa (Department of Nutrition and Health, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia)
Bira Arumndari Nurrahma (Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia)
Arta Farmawati (Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia)

Nutrition & Food Science

ISSN: 0034-6659

Article publication date: 7 March 2023

Issue publication date: 18 October 2023

137

Abstract

Purpose

Malnutrition during childhood precedes growth failure and affects the child’s well-being later in life. This study aims to investigate the potency of iron-fortified klutuk banana (Musa balbisiana Colla) flour on growth parameters and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) expression in malnourished rat model.

Design/methodology/approach

Rats were allocated into normal control (NC), untreated malnutrition (MC), malnutrition + iron-fortified klutuk banana flour (IBF) and malnutrition + Indonesian Government-issued biscuit (GB). Malnutrition was induced by an isoenergetic low-protein diet for five weeks. The IBF and GB groups were supplemented with IBF 1.2 g/200 gBW and GB 1.2 g/200 gBW, respectively, via gavage daily for three weeks. The body weight and length, the levels of plasma and liver FGF21 and red blood cell indices were analyzed.

Findings

After three weeks of supplementation, the IBF group showed higher body weight (245 ± 13.6 g vs 201.8 ± 16.3 g; p = 0.0004) and length (20.9 ± 0.5 cm vs 19.8 ± 0.5 cm; p = 0.021) compared with the untreated group. The plasma FGF21 level decreased in the IBF group (p = 0.034). The IBF group altered mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin, suggesting the IBF might attenuate malnutrition-induced anemia. Overall, the IBF prevented growth failure in malnourished condition. This might be mediated by the suppression of FGF21 expression, along with the prevention of malnutrition and anemia.

Originality/value

This study provides preliminary information about the potential use of rarely consumed banana, klutuk banana, as a supplement to treat malnutrition. This study might help the developing countries to eliminate the widespread malnutrition in economically challenged communities.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge Professor Sunarti for her contributions in project conceptualization, data interpretation and project supervision.

Citation

Edyanto, A.S., Huriyati, E., Nisa, A., Nurrahma, B.A. and Farmawati, A. (2023), "Iron-fortified klutuk banana (Musa balbisiana Colla) flour supplementation prevented growth failure by suppressing FGF21 in malnourished rats", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 53 No. 7, pp. 1166-1178. https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-05-2022-0165

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited

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