TY  - BOOK
AU  - Seenia George 
AU  - Soffi Cherian (Guide)
TI  - Impact of Spirulina (Spirulina Fusiformis) Food Supplement on Premalignant Conditions in Women
U1  - 640 
PY  - 2002///
CY  - Vellayani
PB  - Department of Home Science, College of Agriculture
N2  - The study entitled 'Impact of spirulina (Spirulina fusiform is) food 
supplement on premalignant conditions in women' was undertaken with an 
objective to formulate food supplements incorporating spirulina and to 
assess its impact on premalignant conditions of the oral cavity of selected 
subjects. 
The study was undertaken among two fishermen communities VIZ., 
Puthukuruchy and Maryanad in Thiruvananthapuram district. 
Clinical assistance from Regional Cancer Centre aided m 
conducting medical camp to screen 60 fisherwomen in the age group of 
40-55 years with oral precancerous symptoms who were habituated with 
betel quid chewing. The 60 women were divided into experimental and 
control groups of 30 members each. 
Personal profile of the respondents indicated that majority were 
above 50 years of age, illiterate and engaged in fish vending. 
Most of the families were of nuclear type and their monthly income 
ranged between Rs.l 000 to 3000. 
Dietary surveys revealed an absolutely ill balanced but uniform 
pattern comprising rice and fish. All the respondents were non- 
vegetarians and fish' was the .main non-vegetarian food in their diet. 
However consumption of vegetables, green leafy vegetables, pulses, egg 
and milk and milk products was less. The diet of the women were 
deficient in all the nutrients except calcium when compared to RDA. 
An enquiry on the personal habits revealed that all the women were 
tobacco chewers with 50.00 per cent chewing for more than 30 years. 
Majority of them chewed 5 to 9 quids a day for a duration of 5 to 10 
minutes each time. 
 
	
Clinical examination of the oral cavity of the respondents indicated 
that 85.00 per cent suffered from leukoplakia and the remaining showed 
submucous fibrosis (SMF) as the precancerous condition. 
Majority of the respondents suffered from homogenous type of 
leukoplakia with size less than 2 cm and generalized type of SMF with an 
interlabial diameter (ILD) between 1 to 3 cm. Most of them complained 
an intolerance to spices and a few were prone to problem associated with 
taste perception and appetite. 
Nutritional status revealed that all the women were below the 
normal height and weight standards. Body mass Index of the women 
showed that 45.00 per cent suffered from energy deficiency. Among 
86.70 per cent the blood haemoglobin and among 40.00 per cent the serum 
~-carotene levels were below the acceptable values. 
For the feeding trial six spirulina based supplements incorporating 
one gram spray dried spirulina per portion were standardized in the 
laboratory. The six supplements were lemon-ginger squash, rava laddu, 
rice balls, bengal gram balls, coconut chutney powder and green gram 
chutney powder. Three highly preferred supplements (lemon-ginger 
squash, rava laddu and rice balls) were selected for the feeding trial of six 
months duration. 
Assessment of the impact of spirulina supplementation on the 
precancerous condition of the oral cavity revealed that among the 86.70 
percent suffering from leukoplakia, there was complete remission among 
13.40 per cent and regression: was seen in 40.00 per cent. Mean while in 
the control group the condition was found to aggravate. It was also noted 
that in the experimental group the number of subjects having ulcerated 
type (moderate) of leukoplakia had been reduced as they were shifted to 
the mild form (homogenous type). With regard to submucous fibrosis 
(SMF) among the 13.30 per cent cases there was regression in 10.00 per 
cent. Almost all the subjects in the experimental group regained their 
 
	
tolerance to spices which can be considered as a positive impact of 
feeding spirulina over a period of six months. 
Changes in serum ~-carotene levels of the respondents in the 
experimental group revealed that there was an average increase of 0.385 
ug/ml after six months of supplementation. At the same time a decrease 
was noted in the ~-carotene level of the control women. There was an 
average increase of 1.17 g/dl on the haemoglobin level of the experimental 
group as a result of spirulina supplementation. 
Supplementary feeding with spirulina also indicated improvement 
in general appetite and taste perception among the experimental women. 
Nutrition and health education imparted to the experimental women 
revealed an excellent gain in knowledge from the post-test scores. 
Due to the education programme 23.30 per cent respondents 
stopped the habit of chewing and 56.70 per cent excluded tobacco while 
chewing. There oral hygiene could also be improved. 
Acceptable spirulina food supplements could be formulated and the 
present trial evidenced that these supplements imposed a positive role III 
reversing the precancerous symptoms of the oral cavity in fisherwomen. 


UR  - http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810105241
ER  -