Abstract
The research was conducted to assess some growth and biochemical changes in excess weight-induced male Wistar rats maintained on mixed spices-supplement salty diet. Dried and pulverized clove, ginger, onion and garlic were homogenously mixed in the ratio of 1:2:2:2. Six (6) wistar albino rats (151.01±1.12) were randomly divided into two groups (A and B) of four rats each with nearly equal average weight. Three experimental diets A, B and C were formulated. Diet A was 100% starter’s mash (control diet) while Diet B was 6% salt of starter’s mash and C was 2% mixed spices of diet B. The rats in group A and group B were maintained on their experimental diets (Diet A and Diet B respectively) ad libitum for four weeks. Diet B was then removed and replaced with diet C and maintained on this diet ad libitum for three weeks. Growth, hematological and lipid profiles, and transaminase enzyme activities in the rats were determined. There was no significant variation (p>0.05) in the feed intake between the group maintained on 6% salty diet and the control but feed conversion ratio and weight gain did. Supplementation of diet B with 2% mixed spices (Diet C) caused significant (p<0.05) decrease in weight gain and increase in feed conversion ratio when compared to the group maintained on diet B. Some significant changes in the studied biochemical indices were recorded. Therefore, 2% supplementation of metabolic disease-causing diets with mixed spices (onions, garlic, ginger and cloves) may have positive effects on weight gain, lipid metabolism, blood formation and organ protection in subjects fed on the diets.

Key words: Mixed-spices; Excess weight, induced; Biochemical; Hematology; Transaminase; Lipid