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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.

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.

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.

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.

The study aims to investigate the potency of fermented rice bran extract as anti-hypercholesterolemia product by looking at its effect on lipid profile levels and blood glucose levels in dyslipidemia model rats.

Rice bran was fermented using Rhizopus oligosporus-contained tempeh mold extracted using distilled water. Twenty-four Sprague Dawley rats were divided into a control group and hypercholesterolemia groups. Hypercholesterolemia, also known as dyslipidemia, was induced with fructose-supplemented high-fat diet. Rats induced with dyslipidemia received three different fermented rice bran extract doses, 0 (negative) 1102.5 mg/kgBW/day (FRBE 1) and 2205 mg/kgBW/day (FRBE 2). Blood was collected before and after four weeks of treatment for lipid profile and blood glucose analysis.

FRBE 2 had significantly lower total cholesterol (101.6 ± 3.3 vs 187.6 ± 3.7 mg/dL), triglyceride (83.3 ± 2.8 vs 130.7 ± 3.4 mg/dL) and LDL level (27.9 ± 1.7 vs 76.7 ± 1.5 mg/dL) but higher HDL level (64.1 ± 3.0 vs 25.5 ± 1.2 mg/dL) compared to the negative group (p < 0.001). Provision of fermented rice bran showed dose-response relationship in all blood lipid markers.

This study was the first to investigate the effectivity of Rhizopus sp.-fermented rice bran extract to improve glucose and lipid profile.