Potential of cassava (Manihot esculenta) starch as serum separator gel for glucose testing.

        The study conducted intended to determine the potential of cassava (Manihot esculenta) starch-derived gel as an alternative to the commercially synthesized thixotropic gel used for glucose testing. A repeated measures design was utilized for the implementation of the study. Blood samples were extracted from selected thirty-seven (37) respondents ranging from 18 to 25 years old, who were currently enrolled in Cebu Doctors' University. The first procedure done was the preparation of the cassava tuber extract using a high speed blender and the isolation of the starch component through filtration; 23 g of the starch isolated was weighed and added with 100 ml Normal Saline Solution (NSS) to make 0.23 g/ml of solution which underwent gelatinization through heating. Two experimental groups of different volumes were prepared in the study--0.5 ml and 1.0 ml. Twelve (12) ml of blood was extracted using the venipuncture syringe method from each respondent and equally dispensed in three tubes--tube with 0.5 ml cassava starch gel, with 1.0 ml cassava starch gel, and the commercial serum separator tube with the thixotropic gel which served as the control group of the study. Only the tubes which showed successful separation of the blood components were utilized for glucose testing.

        Based on the results, both volumes of cassava starch-derived gel were both capable of separating the cellular components from the serum with both having a percentage of 86.49%.Tubes with blood samples that had failed to separate may have been caused by incomplete clotting due to improper timing of centrifugation which is no longer than 2 hours after collection. Becton, Dickinson and Company, n.d.).The mean glucose levels of the control group and the experimental groups were computed and the result of the One Way Repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant difference between the experimental groups and the control group. On the average, the mean glucose level of blood samples taken from the commercial serum separator tube with thixotropic gel was significantly higher compared with those from tubes with 0.5 ml cassava starch gel and 1.0 ml cassava starch gel. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in the blood glucose levels of both volumes in the experimental groups.

         In conclusion, both volumes of the cassava starch gel were effective in separating the blood components but yielded lower mean blood glucose levels compared to that of the commercial serum separator tube due to resistant starch which has the property of decreasing blood glucose levels. Despite its ability to separate the blood components, the cassava starch gel did not have any potential as an alternative serum separator gel for glucose testing. Thus, use of cassava starch gel in measuring other blood analytes such as total cholesterol is recommended.