Beetroot

Beetroot makes an excellent dietary supplement as it is not only rich in minerals, vitamins and nutrients but it also has unique Phytochemical compounds (carotenoids, phenolic acids, ascorbic acid) which have many medicinal uses. Heat is an environmental and occupational hazard. The effects of heat on human health are further exacerbated by environmental, socioeconomic, demographic, physiological and behavioural factors. Biomass fuel is any living or recently living plant or animal-based material that is burned by humans as fuels, such as dried animal dung, charcoal and grass. Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous molecule that has a central role in signalling pathways involved in numerous physiological processes such as vasodilation, neurotransmission, inflammation, apoptosis and tumour growth. Hence, the study was designed to investigate the mechanism of effect of ethanolic extract of Beetroot on the lungs’ iNOS and nitric oxide levels of adult male Wistar rats exposed to heat and biomass smoke. Forty-nine (49) adults male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into seven (7) groups of seven (7) rats per cage. Group A served as the control; group B were exposed to smoke only; group C were exposed to heat only; group D were exposed to smoke and heat; group E were exposed to smoke with Beetroot; group F were exposed to heat with Beetroot; group G were exposed to smoke, heat with Beetroot. At the end of the twenty–eight (28) days experimental period, the rats were sacrificed under chloroform anaesthesia. Lung tissues were collected in plain bottles with formol saline and taken to the laboratory for nitric oxide and inducible nitric oxide synthase assay.

Hypertension is a major global health burden, often termed the "silent killer." The increasing prevalence, especially in low andmiddle-income countries, necessitates the development of accessible, non-pharmacological management strategies. Functional foods rich in bioactive compounds offer a promising approach for blood pressure control. This study seeks to develop an anti-hypertensive snack bar from Cardaba banana, beetroot, tigernuts, soyabeans, and Justicia carnea leaves and to evaluate its in vitro antioxidant and vasoprotective potential. Flours were individually prepared from the raw materials. Four snack bar formulations were developed: a control (with all-purpose flour) and three variations (Samples A, B, C) with increasing proportions of Cardaba banana flour. The samples were analyzed for their Hydrogen Peroxide (H₂O₂) scavenging activity, Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC), and Nitric Oxide (NO) radical scavenging activity. All experimental samples (A, B, and C) demonstrated significantly higher antioxidant and NO-scavenging activities compared to the control. Sample A exhibited the most potent bioactivity, showing the strongest H₂O₂ and NO scavenging abilities, as well as the highest TAC. It also had the lowest IC₅₀ value for NO scavenging (12.5 μg/ml), indicating superior efficacy. The activities were dose-dependent, with Sample A > Sample B > Sample C >. The formulated snackbars, particularly Sample C, possess significant antioxidant and nitric oxide-related vasoprotective properties in vitro. These results suggest that the combination of Cardaba banana, beetroot, tigernut, soyabean, and Justicia carnea flours can yield a functional food with strong potential to mitigate oxidative stress and promote cardiovascular health, validating its development as a portable anti-hypertensive snack