Antimicrobial and antidiabetic potentials of processed finger millet (Eleusine coracana)

Finger millet is a food crop with energy value, phytochemical constituents, and minerals, hence its use as whole flour for traditional food preparation among traditional people. The study was designed to determine the glycaemic index and blood glucose level in albino rats, and the antimicrobial potential of processed finger millets. Finger millets were processed by fermentation and roasting, and methanolic extracts obtained used to test antimicrobial activity. Albino rats (18) divided into three groups were fed fermented, roasted, and unprocessed millet (control), and glycaemic index and blood glucose level determined. Another 25 rat were treated into 5 groups of diabetic rats without treatment, diabetic rats treated daily with Metformin, diabetic rats fed 20% millet, diabetic rats fed 40% millet, and untreated group (control). At 100% concentration, roasted and fermented millet obtained inhibition of 15mm and 14mm against Salmonella typhi, while the control drug 25mg/ml streptomycin had 17mm inhibition. While values obtained for the glycemic indexes were close though significantly different from each other (roasted - 36.83±1.23; fermented - 38.73±1.87), roasted millet brought about the highest reduction in blood glucose level 90.9 and 65.1mg/dl at 60 and 120min respectively compared with fermented millet with 125.1 and 100.2mg/dl respectively at the same time. Animals administered finger millet in Groups 3 and 4-showed regeneration of the islet cells. The millet had the capacity to bring about healing of necrotic cells while also restoring and maintaining glucose levels in blood of subjects.