New research showcases healing properties of sorghum

A new research in far away University of
Georgia, Athens, has unearthed the healing
potentials of sorghum. This lecture is on the amazing antioxidants and
anti-inflammatory properties of sorghum.
IT is widely grown and eaten as staple food
in northern part of Nigeria, where it isused
to prepare pap. However, its healing
potentials is seen in south-western Nigeria.
It is used in that part of the country in te
treatment of various ailments.
But now a new study by the University of
Georgia (UGA) has found that select
varieties of sorghum bran or sorghum
bicolor have greater antioxidant and anti-
inflammatory properties than well-known
foods such as blueberries and
pomegranates.
Bran is the edible broken seed coats of
cereal grain separated from the flour or
meal by sifting or bolting.
Its health potentials, experts say reside in its
rich nutrients essential for healthy living.
The plant is said to be a rich source of
proteins and important nutrients like iron,
calcium, potassium among others that are
necessary to keep the body healthy.
The presence of antioxidants in sorghum is
believed to have reduced the risk of cancer,
diabetes, heart disease, nerve disorders
among others . Sorghum also contains
Vitamin B-complex that is also important for
the steady growth of living beings. The
presence of protein and starch in grain
sorghum helps in slow digestion, and this
slow digestion is beneficial for patients
suffering from diabetes. For people unable
to digest wheat related items, sorghum
serves as an excellent replacement, again,
because of its excellent digestion capability.
The research entitled anti-inflammatory
activity of select Sorghum (Sorghum
bicolor) brans appeared in the Journal of
Medicinal Food.The Researchers measured
polyphenolic compounds, which naturally
occur in plants to help fight against pests
and disease, and found that the black and
sumac varieties of sorghum have
significant levels of antioxidants.
Many fruits also contain these compounds,
they said, though sorghum bran may prove
to be the richest and cheapest source.
Polyphenols are also known as phenols or
phenolics, which are chemicals found in
basically all foods.
“ Since most human chronic disease states
are associated with chronic inflammation
and high oxidative stress, a food ingredient
such as sorghum bran could potentially
make certain processed foods better for a
healthy diet, ” said study co-author Diane
Hartle, director of the UGA Nutraceutical
Research Laboratory and an associate
professor in the College of Pharmacy of the
University of Georgia.
Authors of the study include Dr. Amy
Burdette, Dr. Pamela L. Garner, Dr. James L.
Hargrove, Dr. Diane K. Hartle, and Dr. Phillip
Greenspan, all of the Nutraceutical
Research Laboratories of University of
Georgia, Georgia; and Dr. Eugene P. Maye of
the Department of Pathology, Microbiology
and Immunology, University of South
Carolina College of Medicine, Columbia, USA.
Hartle and colleagues determined the level
of polyphenolic compounds, antioxidants
which naturally occur in plants, in black and
sumac varieties of sorghum bran, both of
which contain high levels of tannins. Results
showed that the levels of polyphenolic
compounds in these high-tannin varieties
ranged from 23 to 62 mg of polyphenolics
per gram. In comparison, blueberries
contain 5 mg of polyphenolics per gram,
while pomegranate juice contains just 2 to
3.5 mg per gram. The researchers also
investigated whether different varieties of
sorghum (two low-tannin and two high-
tannin) were able to reduce inflammation in
mice. Results showed that the high-tannin
varieties (black and sumac) possessed
significant anti-inflammatory activity.
Tannin is a substance found in many
different plants and which is notably found
naturally occurring in grapes, tea leaves and
oak.
Sorghum bicolor is a grass of East African
origin, which is grown in the North of
Nigeria. Sorghum is the fourth important
cereal after wheat, rice and maize and is
used as a maize substitute for livestock
feeds because of their similar nutritional
values. It is also used for distilled beverages,
condiments, ethanol and alcoholic
beverages.
Sorghum bicolor various names include
millet, guinea corn, broom corn and sweet
sorghum . In Nigerian languages, it is called
okababa in Yoruba, dawa / jero in Hausa
and sorgum in Igbo. The parts that are
commonly used for herbal drugs include
leaves, whole plant or grains.
The cereal is a staple food in Northern
Nigeria. But South Western Nigeria people
have been making use of bicolor for
generations, to treat complex diseases,
haematological diseases such as multiple
myeloma (type of cancer disease), sickle-cell
anaemia, leukemia, heart, other blood-
associated problems and even trivial
problems like headaches.Jobelyn , a herbal
drug by Health Forever Products Limited,
The herbal preparation is made in terms of
a herbal non-alcoholic beverage.It is a
common herbal drink in northern part of
Nigeria. It usually used to prepare kunu-
zaki, thick porridge and tuwo dawa in
Hausa lands.
It is also fermented to make sorghum beer
called burkutu or pito, dawaki, another
Hausa local meals.In Eastern part of Nigeria,
it is used to prepare tasty pap or akamu.
Researchers believe that this local
ingredient may work as panacea medicine
scientists have been looking for.
Earlier studies had found sorghum bicolor,
as herbal remedy,which is capable of
boosting blood levels (cure anemia), getting
rid of inflammation, pain, repealing cell
damage (antioxidant).
Duke J.A., in The Handbook of Energy Crops,
states that sorghum bicolor is used in folk
medicine as antiabortive, cyanogenetic,
demulcent (providing relief for cough),
diuretic (drugs that help in discharge of
urine), emollient (skin soften and smoothen
substance), intoxicant (intoxicative agent)
and can be used as poison.
Duke further reports that sorghum bicolor
is used for the treatment of cancer,
epilepsy, flux and stomach ache. According
to him, the root is used for the treatment of
malaria in Zimbabwe; the seeds for the
treatment of breast diseases and diarrhea;
the stem for tubercular swellings.
In India , the plant is considered
anthelmintic (drugs that expel parasites)
and insecticidal.
Prof. Odugbemi T. of the University of
Lagos, Nigeria, in the book A Textbook of
Medicinal Plants from Nigeria, reports that
sorghum bicolor is good as blood tonic and
for treating malaria.
Prof. Sofowora A. of the Department of
Pharmacognosy, Obafemi Awolowo
University , Ile-Ife , Nigeria , in Medicinal
Plants and Traditional Medicine in Africa
reports that sorghum bicolor has high
degree of anti-sickling and anti-oxidant
properties.
In South Africa , sorghum bicolor in
combination with Erigeron canadense L. is
used for the treatment of eczema. Curacao
natives drink the leaf decotion for measles,
grind the seeds with that of the calabash
tree (cresentia) for lung ailments.
Venezuelans toast and pulverise the seeds
for diarrhea. Brazilians extract the
nutritional value of the seeds by boiling for
bronchitis, cough, other chest ailments and
even goiter. Studies have also found it
good for persons suffering from
pulmonary congestion, kidney and urinary
complaints.