Some Haematological Parameters in Rats treated with Phenyl Hydrazine and Acalypha wilkesiana Leaf Extracts

Abstract

Medicinal plants prevent and ameliorate various diseases. In Nigeria, different species of Acalypha has demonstrated antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. This study investigated some haematological parameters in phenyl hydrazine induced-anaemic Wistar rats treated with aqueous and methanol leaf extracts of A. wilkesiana. Anaemia was induced subcutaneously with phenyl hydrazine at 40 mg/kg body weight, and treated with both extracts. Rats were divided into nine groups of five each. Groups A, B and C were normal control, anaemic control and vitamin E control respectively. Groups D, E, F and G, H, I was given 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg body weight of both leaf extracts, respectively. After 14 days post-treatment, Group B showed significant reduction (p 0.05), except lymphocytes, haemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume and haematocrit which recorded significant increase (p < 0.05). However, platelets and platelet crit recorded significant decrease (p < 0.05). The study revealed that the leaf extracts may be relatively anti-anaemic with better hematopoietic potentials than Vitamin E.

Keywords

• Wistar rats
• induced-anaemia
• Acalypha wilkesiana
• haematological parameters