Abstract
Several medicinal plants have been documented for their haematological effects either at low or high concentration but very little is known about Aspilia africana. The aim of the study was to investigate the acute effects of aqueous leaf extract of Aspilia africana at different concentrations on some haematological parameters in rats. Following 14 days of oral administration of aqueous extract of A. africana, Haematocrit (HCT), Haemoglobin concentration (HB), Mean Cell Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), Red Blood Cell Count (RBC Count), Total White Blood Cell Count (Total WBC Count), Absolute Neutrophils count (NEUT#), Absolute Lymphocytes count (LYM#), Absolute Eosinophils Count (EOSIN#) and Absolute Monocytes (MONO#) were evaluated in twenty (20) male Wistar albino rats. The rats weighed 174 ± 20 g, and were randomly assigned into 4 groups viz: Group 1, Control; Group 2, 250 mg/Kg/d aqueous extract; Group 3, 500 mg/Kg/d aqueous extract; and Group 4, 750 mg/Kg/d aqueous extract. HCT, HB, MCHC, RBC Count, Total WBC Count, NEUT#, LYM#, EOSIN# and MONO# were significantly increased (P<0.001) in 500 mg/Kg/d of A. africana extract (61.13 ± 1.65%, 13.5 ± 1.29 g/dl, 23.33 ± 0.0.02 g/dl, 3.68 ± 0.02 X 10(12)Cells/l, 2.33 ± 0.02 X 10(9)Cells/l, 1.32 ± 0.04 X 10(9)Cells/l, 1.43 ± 0.05 X 10(9)Cells/l, 0.47 ± 0.02 X 10(9)Cells/l and 0.47 ± 0.04 X 10(9)Cells/l, respectively) when compared to the Control (51.13 ± 0.85%, 9.56 ± 0.43 g/dl, 19.22 ± 0.19 g/dl, 2.69 ± 0.01 X 10(12)Cells/l, 1.79 ± 0.01 X 10(9)Cells/l, 0.80 ± 0.00 X 10(9)Cells/l, 0.83 ± 0.00 X 10(9)Cells/l, 0.18 ± 0.00 X 10(9)Cells/l and 0.24 ± 0.00 X 10(9)Cells/l, respectively) which received no extract at all. The 500 mg/Kg of A. africana extract proved to be the most effective, while the 750 mg/Kg proved to be the least effective in comparison with the control. The results of this study further strengthened the earlier works on the medicinal benefits of Aspilia africana and its virtue as a good pharmacological source of haematopoiesis.
Highlights
Human’s dependency and sustainability have continued to revolve around plants through their uses as foods, fibres, shelters, and even medicines
The effects of extract of Aspilia africana leaves on various haematological parameters investigated in rats are presented in Table 4.1 and Figure 4.1
The purpose of this research work was to determine the effects of oral administration of Aspilia africana at different concentrations on some haematological parameters in rats
Summary
Human’s dependency and sustainability have continued to revolve around plants through their uses as foods, fibres, shelters, and even medicines. Plant materials and products continue to play an important role in the maintenance of human health since antiquity. They are the major source of drug development in the pharmaceutical industry (Burton et al, 1983). Several plants are being used in part or as a whole to treat many diseases. Active components of these plants are being investigated, extracted and developed into drugs with little or no negative effects or contra-indications (Oluyemi et al, 2007). Int introduction to Medical Laboratory Technology, seventh edition, Pp. 352
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