Effects of Pausinystalia Yohimbe Methanol Root Extract on Some Cardiovascular and Hematological Variables in Wistar Rats

Abstract

Plants have been a major source of medicine and have been largely considered to alter the range of blood pressure and parameters. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of Pausinystalia yohimbe on blood pressure and haematological factors in normotensive male wistar rats. The rats were randomly divided into four groups of nine rats each. The control group received 1 mL/kg distilled water while the three treatment groups received 25 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg of the extract respectively, and the blood pressure was measured three hours thereafter. After the study period, blood samples were taken from experimental rats, and haematological factors were determined using digital cell counter. Administration of the extract, caused a dose-dependent fall in blood pressure and heart rate, and appeared to increase leucocyte (WBC and lymphocytes) and erythrocyte parameters (RBC, HCT and Hgb) when compared with the control group. While thrombocyte parameters (PLT and Pct) were decreased. The findings demonstrated that acute hypotensive and antitarchycardiac effect of the extract may be due to direct effect of the metabolites on cardiac-vascular smooth muscle, and that Pausinystalia yohimbe does not cause any significant undesirable alterations in haematological factors in wistar rats. It also enhances white blood cell concentration and lymphocytes which probably stimulate the immune defence mechanism.