Effect of aqueous &lt;i&gt;Allium cepa&lt;/i&gt; extract from red onion on aluminum chloride- induced anemia in female rats

S.F Ige,A Aiyeola

doi:10.4314/jasem.v21i7.11

Abstract

This study examined the protective effect of Allium cepa extract from red onion on aluminum – induced anemia in female wistar rats. Twenty-four animals (six rats per group) were used for this study. They were divided into four groups: group one served as control, group two animals were treated with 100mg/kg BW of aluminum chloride and served as Aluminum chloride (AlCl3) group, group three, Allium cepa alone group were treated with 1mL/100g BW of Allium cepa while group four was simultaneously treated with 1mL/100g BW of Allium cepa and 100mg/kg BW AlCl 3 . Treatments lasted for 4 weeks. Red blood cells (RBC), packed cell volume (PCV), Hemoglobin concentration (Hb) were measured from blood sample collected from each rat. Serum urea, serum and kidney malondialdehyde (index of lipid peroxidation) and kidney catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were measured spectrophotometrically. Significant decrease in RBC, PCV, Hb, catalase, SOD and significant increase in serum urea and malondialdehyde were observed in aluminum treated animals when compared with control. Animals treated with Allium cepa alone had significant increase in PCV, Hb, SOD and significant decrease in malondialdehyde and serum urea while there was no significant different in RBC and catalase when compared with control. Simultaneous treatment of the animals with Allium cepa and aluminum chloride resulted in significant increase in PCV while there was no significant different in RBC, Hb, catalase, malondialdehyde when compared with control.This study reveals that Allium cepa extract treatment ameliorate aluminum-induced anemia through antioxidant system. Keywords: Anemia, Allium cepa, Aluminum chloride, lipid peroxidation

Highlights

Anemia, one of blood disorders, is a fall in the total amount of red blood cell and hemoglobin in the blood, characterize with decrease oxygen carrying ability of blood (Rodak, 2007)
Animals were kept in research section of the animal house of Department of Physiology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria. They were fed with standard diet ad libitum and divided into four groups of six rats each: group one served as control, group two animals were treated with 100mg/kg BW of aluminum chloride and served as Aluminum chloride (AlCl3) group, group three, Allium cepa alone group were treated with 1mL/100g BW of Allium cepa while group four was simultaneously treated with 1mL/100g BW of Allium cepa and 100mg/kg BW AlCl3
Red blood cells (RBC), hematocrit and Hemoglobin concentration (Hb) are use to determine anemia while low Hb has been linked with increase mortality and morbidity rate (Aletan, 2014)

Summary

Introduction

One of blood disorders, is a fall in the total amount of red blood cell and hemoglobin in the blood, characterize with decrease oxygen carrying ability of blood (Rodak, 2007). Enitan et al, reported significant increase in packed cell volume, red blood cell count and hemoglobin concentration (Enitan et al, 2012). Increase red blood cells membrane stability and attenuation of HgCl2-induced oxidative stress in rats erythrocytes was reported (Nwaehujo et al, 2014; Jaiswal et al, 2013).

Results

Conclusion