Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of administration of Telfairia occidentalis (Hook f.) methanol leaf extract on some hematological indices and histomorphology of the uterus and liver of female albino rats. Acute toxicity study of the extract was performed with female rats, following standard procedure. They were randomly assigned into 3 groups. The first group (A) served as the untreated control and received distilled water, while the second group (B) and third (C) received 200 and 800 mg/kg mg/kg body weight of the methanol leaf extract of T. occidentalis respectively. Administration of the extract was done daily via the oral route for 21 days. Blood was collected for hematological evaluation at weekly intervals. Hematological parameters assessed were the packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin concentration (HB) and total white blood cell (TWBC) count. At the end of the study period uterine and liver tissues were excised and prepared for histological examination. Results showed that there was a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in the mean PCV, RBC and HB values of the treatment groups, but only at the end of the second week of administration of the extract. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the mean total WBC throughout the duration of the study. Histological examination of uterine and liver tissues of the different groups did not show any lesions. It was concluded that the T. occidentalis leaf methanolic extract does not adversely affect the reproductive functions of the uterus.
Highlights
The search for alternative medicine has led to the advent of ethnomedicine which is seen as a cultural interpretation of health, diseases and illness and addresses the healthcareseeking process and healing practices (Williams, 2006)
Haematological parameters Erythrocytic indices Administration of the extract to the rat groups (B and C) did not lead to any significant (P > 0.05) variation in their packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin concentration (HB) and red blood cell (RBC) count on week 1 and week 3 of administration, but during week 2, the PCV, HB and RBC count of the rat groups treated with the extract was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than that of the untreated control group (Figs. 1-3)
Leucocytic indices There were no significant variations (P > 0.05) in the total white blood cell (WBC) counts of all the rat groups all through the 3weeks study period, though at all points of sampling the mean total WBC of the group C, rats treated with 800 mg/kg body weight, was slightly lower than that of the other groups (Fig. 4)
Summary
The search for alternative medicine has led to the advent of ethnomedicine which is seen as a cultural interpretation of health, diseases and illness and addresses the healthcareseeking process and healing practices (Williams, 2006). Ethnomedicine is becoming increasingly popular among many of the world’s countries, including Nigeria. This is underpinned by the fact that orthodox medicine is nearing its zenith in conventional treatment of ailments, emergence of new and drug-resistance pathogens, green revolution, as well as the fact that alternative medicine has proven to be efficacious, cost effective and readily available (Oliver-Bever, 1986). Phytomedicine, which is an integral part of ethnomedicine, is becoming the mainstay of treatment of infertility (Gaware et al, 2009; Ekere et al, 2013) in developing countries It has played a great role in the discovery and development of many new substances of therapeutic potential (Ballick and Cox, 1997). There is insufficient documentation of these phytomedical practices, and they are often considered to be unreliable and that may lead to long term adverse effects (Goldstein et al, 1974; Herndon et al, 2009; Omoja et al, 2014)
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