Palm Oil Fractions Alter Acute Cadmium Mediated Haematotoxicity

Abstract

The objective of the research was to contribute to the continual search for natural products that could mitigate alterations in haematological indices due to cadmium poisoning. Materials and methods. Seventy-two male Wistar rats were mobilized and divided into six groups (A-F). Group A served as the control one which was neither exposed to cadmium nor treated with palm oil fraction. Group B was not treated with palm oil fractions but received a single dose of 20mgkg-1 body weight of cadmium chloride solution on the 29th day of the experiment, while Groups C-E received 5mlKg-1 bodyweight of crude palm oil, silica gel extract, bleached extract and unsaponifiable extract of palm oil respectively for 28 days before a single dose of 20mgKg-1 body weight of cadmium chloride on the 29th day. Blood samples were collected from four animals via cardiac puncture on the 29th, 30th and 31st day within intervals of 12h, 24h and 48h after cadmium administration. This was then analysed for haematological parameters using an automated haematological analyser. Data analysis was carried out using the one-way factor analysis of variance at a significant level of p<0.05. Results. The impact of cadmium intoxication on haematological indices in rats was time-dependent and was mostly felt at the end of the 48-hour period indicating a significant decrease in the packed cell volume, haemoglobin and white blood cells values, while the increase due to cadmium was observed in mean corpuscular haemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume values; pre-treatment of palm oil fractions mitigated the noxious effects of cadmium significantly near control values. Conclusions. Crude palm oil and its fractions have the ability to mobilize antioxidant defence potentials against cadmium damage to blood cells.

Keywords

• cadmium
• palm oil
• alter
• toxicity
• haematology
• haematotoxicity