Immunological Responses in Female Rats Model with Anemia Treated with Snake Fruit Seed Flour Extract

Abstract

Natural substances become popular for alternative treatment of human diseases including anemia. A recent study has reported that administration of snake fruit seed flour (SSF) is able to increase hemoglobin level in rat model with anemia but it needs higher amount of SSF. In addition, SSF contains 3.71% protein/100g that potentially results in hypersensitivity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the side effects of SSF extract on leucocytes number and its differential account (granulocytes, lymphocytes, and monocytes) in rat model with anemia. We used 14 female rats model with anemia, aged 8-10 weeks, and had ± 200 g body weight (BW). After rats model with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) has been established, female rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: control (C) group only received a low iron diet, and treatment (T) group received a low iron diet and 1.75g/kg BW/day SSF extract for 14 days. Leucocytes number was measured using a veterinary haematology analyzer. Collected data were analyzed using the independent T-test with p value <0.05. Female rats in the C group had the mean leucocytes number higher than the T group, but not statistically different (p=0.073). From differential count, greater numbers of granulocytes and monocytes were observed in the C group, compared to the T group (p=0.301;p=0.34). In contrast to granulocyte and monocytes number, the mean lymphocytes number in the C group were statistically different than the T group (p=0.046). Overall, administration of SSF extract was able to decrease leucocytes number and differential count. Administration of 0.175g/100g BW/day SSF extract does not increase immunological responses in female rats model with anemia.