Haematological Parameters Of Wistar Rats Research Articles

Effects of methanolic leaf extract and fractions of Irvingia gabonensis on hematological parameters in Wistar rats with splenomegaly

Splenomegaly is a medical condition characterized by an enlargement of the spleen, an organ located in the upper left part of the abdomen, beneath the ribcage. The spleen plays various essential roles in the body, including filtering blood, removing old or damaged blood cells, and helping the immune system by producing and storing immune cells. Splenomegaly causes negative haematological effects. It is very common in Africa and Asia. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of methanol leaf extract and fractions of Irvingia gabonensis on haematological parameters in splenomegaly-induced Wistar rats. Extraction and fractionation of the plant were carried out through standard procedure using methanol, hexane, butanol and ethyl acetate. A qualitative phytochemical evaluation of the plant was done. The effects of the extract and fractions of Irvingia gabonensis were investigated using a rat model. The presence of various phytochemicals like alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids, and tannins was observed in the extract and fractions of the plant. The methanolic extract and ethylacetate fraction significantly caused the normalization of PCV, HB, and RBC post-treatment. The findings from this study suggest that Irvingia gabonensis could be researched further for the management of splenomegaly and also the isolation of phytochemicals responsible for these effects.

Effect of Selected Fruit Wastes on Hematological Parameters in DEN-Induced Hepatic Carcinoma in Rats

Fruits and processed food demand has greatly increased due to which a huge amount of fruit waste is generated. In this study, the effect of the ethanolic extract of waste material Punica granatum (pomegranate) peel and Vitis vinifera (grapes) seeds was evaluated on hematological parameters in Wistar rats with diethylnitrosamine (DEN) induced hepatocellular carcinoma. The treatments were divided into four groups: Group 1 was untreated while Groups 2-4 received 200 mg/kg body weight of DEN by single intraperitoneal administration. Groups 3 and 4 received DEN and co-treated with 400 mg/kg pomegranate peel extract and 400 mg/kg grape seed extract, respectively. There was a significant decrease in the body weight of animals in Group 2, while Group 3 and 4 animals were found to have a significant rise in body weight. The weight of the liver was significantly increased in the cancer-bearing group and its size was significantly reverted in the treated groups. The kidney and spleen showed a significant decrease in size of cancer-induced groups, and these organs significantly increased in treated groups. Hemoglobin, red blood cells (RBC), neutrophil, packed cell volume (PCV), Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) were significantly reduced in Group 2 animals compared to Group 1. The levels of white blood cells (WBC) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were increased significantly in Group 2 animals relating to Group 1. Both in Group 3 and 4 animals, these changes were reversed. Results reveal that selected fruit wastes alleviate vital hematological parameters in hepatocellular carcinoma-induced rats.

Toxicological Effect of Green Tea (Camelia sinensis) on Haematological Parameters in Wistar Rats

Introduction: Green tea, derived from the leaves of Camellia sinensis, has gained significant attention due to its potential health benefits. It contains various bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, flavonoids, and catechins, which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Despite its widespread consumption and positive reputation, limited information is available regarding the potential toxicological effects of green tea. In this study, the toxicological impact of green tea extract on haematological parameters was investigated using Wistar rats as an animal model.
 Method: Forty-eight adult male rats were randomly divided into four groups (n=12 per group). The control group received a vehicle solution, while the treatment groups were orally administered different doses of green tea extract (low dose: 100 mg/kg, moderate dose: 200 mg/kg, high dose: 400 mg/kg) once daily for 28 consecutive days. Haematological analysis was performed at baseline (day 0) and on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 of the study. Blood samples were collected from the retro-orbital plexus under light isoflurane anaesthesia, and various haematological parameters were assessed using automated Hematology analyzers.
 Results: The results of the haematological analysis showed that the administration of green tea extract did not significantly affect haemoglobin levels, packed cell volume, red blood cell count, eosinophil count, lymphocyte count, and neutrophil count compared to the control group throughout the study period. However, the white blood cell (WBC) count and its differential count exhibited some variations among the treatment groups. The low and moderate doses of green tea extract resulted in a slight increase in the WBC count compared to the control group, although the difference was not statistically significant. On the other hand, the high dose of green tea extract led to a slight decrease in the WBC count compared to the control group. Regarding platelet count, the low and moderate doses of green tea extract resulted in a significant increase compared to the control group. In contrast, the high dose of green tea extract caused a significant decrease in platelet count.
 Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that the administration of green tea extract did not have significant adverse effects on the assessed haematological parameters in Wistar rats, except for some minor variations in the WBC count and platelet count at higher doses. These results suggest that green tea consumption may not cause significant haematological toxicity in rats. However, further studies are warranted to evaluate the long-term effects and safety of green tea consumption in humans.

Evaluation of the haemostatic potentials of aqueous extract of Hyptis suaveolens leaves in wistar rats

Hyptis suaveolens is widely used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of bleeding and wounds amongst a number of other ailments. This study investigated the haemostatic activities as well as the effects of Hyptis suaveolens on some haematological parameters in Wistar rats. Preliminary phytochemical, mineral and trace metal analyses, as well as toxicity studies were carried out on the plant extract. Twenty (20) adult female Wistar rats having an average weight of 152.4 g were divided into four (4) groups comprising five (5) animals per group. Group 1 served as the control and received no treatment. Group 2 received 100 mg/kg bodyweight of extract; Group 3 received 200 mg/kg bodyweight of extract while Group 4 received 400 mg/kg bodyweight of extract. All treatments were administered orally for 21 days. The clotting time (sec), bleeding time (sec), prothrombin time (sec), partial thromboplastin time (sec) and haematological indices of the animals were all investigated and the results were analysed using one-way ANOVA. The extract significantly increased (p ≤ 0.05) the clotting and bleeding times at 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg doses of administration compared with control. The extract also significantly increased the red blood cell (RBC) and haemoglobin (Hb) levels at all doses of administration compared with the control. The prothrombin and partial thromboplastin times along with other haematological parameters investigated, showed no significant variations. The significant lowering (p ≤ 0.05) of the bleeding and clotting times of the animals that received 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg dose respectively of the extract compared with control, suggests that the aqueous extract of Hyptis suaveolens possesses haemostatic potentials.

Growth Performance and Hematological Characteristics of Wistar Rats Fed Diets Formulated from Three Species of Mollusks (Limicolaria flammea, Viviparus contectus and Egeria radiata) from Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

Aim: The present study investigated the performance characteristics and hematological parameters of Wistar rats fed diets formulated from three species of mollusks (Limicolaria flammea, Viviparus contectus and Egeria radiata).
 Study Design: Twenty-five Wistar rats (negative control, positive control, 3 experimental groups) were used in the 28-days feeding experiment and administered diets as follows: T1-Basal, T2-CerelacTM (Nestle Foods Nigeria Plc), T3- L. flammea, T4- V. contectus and T5- E. radiata.
 Methodology: Proximate composition of diets and faecal and carcass nitrogen were determined by standard methods while hematological analysis was done using Mindray PC-10 Auto Hematology Analyzer.
 Results: Crude protein composition of the experimental diets ranged from 6.74±0.03% to 19.58±0.02% in T1 and T5 respectively. T2, T3, T4 and T5 animals had significant weight gain except T1. T3, T4 and T5 had higher total feed consumed values compared to T2. There was no significant difference in feed conversion ratio (FCR) between T2 and experimental diets (T3, T4, T5). T1 had a negative feed conversion ratio (FCR) (-0.03±0.002) and hence significantly lower (p<0.05) than T2, T3, T4 and T5. Protein efficiency ratio (PER) was lowest in T5 and highest in cerelac group; Protein efficiency ratio (PER) of T2 was significantly higher (p<.05) than other groups while T1 was significantly lower (p<.05) than other groups. True digestibility (TD) in T4 was higher than other experimental groups (T1, T2, T3, T5). Biological value (BV) showed the following trend: T5<T3<T4<T2. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the relative organ weights of the heart, kidney and spleen of rats in this study. Except for T3, all other diets boosted packed cell volume (PCV) levels higher than controls (T1 and T2). T4 animals had higher values for packed cell volume (PCV), white blood cells (WBC) and lower values for monocytes and neutrophils when compared to T1 and T2.
 Conclusion: The formulated diets thus showed good potential to maintain health (except T3 which showed significant harmful effects on hematological parameters) hence their consumption (after proper cooking) is thus encouraged.

Changes in Liver Histomorphology, Hematological Parameters and Lipid Profile of Cadmium-Exposed Rats Treated with Combined Leaf Extract of Vernonia amygdalina and Occimum gratissimum

Aim: This study was aimed at examing the effect of mixture of Ocimum gratissimum extract and Vernonia amygdalina extract on lipid profile and hematological parameters of Wistar rats administered with cadmium.
 Methodology: Sixteen female rats were divided into four groups and designated as follows: Group 1-Control (Normal Saline,) Group 2-(Cadmium 10mg/kg bwt), Group 3 (Normal saline, leaf extract 200kg/kg bwt) Group 4 (Cadmium 10mg/kg bwt and leaf extract 200kg/kg bwt) and were treated for 28 days (4 weeks).
 Results: Exposure of rats to Cadmium alone (Group B) brought about significant increase in levels of Cholesterol, TAG and LDL with a decrease in HDL compared to control and rats maintained on plant extract alone (Group 3). However, treatment of Cd-exposed rats with mixture of the plant extracts (Group 4) significantly reduced Cholesterol, TAG and LDL with an increase in HDL compared to rats maintained on Cd alone (Group 2). The PCV and RBC of the rats administered with the cadmium showed a significant reduction when compared to the control group, whereas the WBC increased significantly (p< 0.05). The group administered with the leaf extract and a combination of the leaf extract and cadmium recorded an increased in the (PCV), (RBC) level of the Wistar rat and a reduction in the (WBC) level when compared to the group administered with cadmium.
 Conclusion: The findings of this study demonstrate that mixture of Ocimum gratissimum and Vernonia amygdalina extracts have lipid lowering properties that may be advantageous to those with the problem of cadmium toxicity. The extracts were also found to be efficient in decreasing cholesterol, triacylglyceride, and low density lipoprotein levels, indicating that they have hypocholesterolaemic properties.

The Effects of Honey Sulfonamides on Immunological and Hematological Parameters in Wistar Rats.

Sulfonamides are among the most used drugs in beekeeping due to their effectiveness, despite their long-term persistence in tissues. Bee honey containing such residues poses numerous risks to human health. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects on immunological and hematological parameters of Wistar rats produced by sulfonamide residues in bee honey, through the evaluation of various blood parameters such as triiodothyronine and thyroxine levels, hematocrit, hemoglobin, red blood cell count and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration in a given volume of erythrocytes following administration of sulfonamide-containing honey. The hematological and immunological parameters showed significant variations in the group of rats that had been fed with honey spiked with sulfonamides compared to the control group. Changes in hematological indices were demonstrated in terms of a significant reduction in the number of erythrocytes, the amount of hemoglobin, and the value of hematocrit, thus confirming the induction of anemia in the tested group. Investigation of thyroid function through the analysis of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) and their ratio showed a very significant decrease in plasma thyroxine levels in laboratory rats that were fed sulfonamide-spiked honey compared to the control group. The mean T3 concentration decreased from 0.70 ± 0.14 ng/dL to 0.34 ± 0.03 ng/dL, while the mean T4 concentration was reduced from 4.50 ± 0.30 μg/dL to 3.32 ± 0.21 μg/dL, thus demonstrating toxic effects on thyroid function. In sum, the presence of sulfonamides induced significant changes in the evaluated parameters indicating that the consumption of contaminated honey samples represents a high risk factor for thyroid dysfunction with potentially serious health impacts.

Acute toxicity and effects of methanolic extract of Moringa oleifera flower on haematological parameters of Wistar rats

Methanolic extract of Moringa oleifera flowers was investigated for its acute toxicity and effects on haematological parameters of Wistar rats. The acute toxicity study to determine the LD50 was evaluated using Lorke’s method. It involves first and second phases with six rats each phase. The rats were divided into three groups of two rats each of the phase. In the first, they were administered 10, 100 and 1000 mg/kg of the extract intraperitonially while in the second phase, they were administered 1600, 2900 and 5000 mg/kg and then observed for 24 hours. The haematological study was carried out according to standard procedures. Twenty (20) rats were divided into 4 groups with five rats in each group. The rats in groups B, C and D were treated orally with the methanolic extract of Moringa oleifera flowers using 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg, and 800 mg/kg respectively for 21 days while group A that served as control were administered sterile water for injection at 0.5 ml/kg. Blood sample was taken from all the rats and used to establish the baseline values prior to treatments with the extract. Blood samples were collected at the end of every week and analyzed for haematological values. The administration of the extract at the dose of 5000 mg/kg intraperitoneally to the rats resulted in death but was safe at the dose of 2900 mg/kg. This indicated that the LD50 is below 5000 mg/kg. There were significant increases (p<0.05) in red blood cells, haemoglobin concentration and the packed cell volume values in all treated groups when compared to the baseline values (control group). There were also significant (p<0.05) decrease and variation in the neutrophilic values and an increase in the lymphocytic values of the differential leukocytes counts. This research has revealed that the methanolic extract of Moringa oleifera flowers increased significantly the red blood cells, packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration and lymphocytosis in Wistar rats.

Effect of Badri cow urine distillate on hemogram in Wistar rats

Present study was designed to observe the effect of Badri cow urine distillate on hematological parameters in Wistar rats. A total of 35 rats for this experiment were divided randomly into two groups viz. Group I (GI) and Group II (GII). Group I contain 20 rats and were kept as control. Group II contain 15 rats which were administered Badri cow urine distillate at dose of 0.25ml/day/rat with drinking water from 0 day post treatment till 90th day post treatment. The blood samples were collected from retro orbital sinus of rats at 0th, 30th, 60th, 90th day post treatment in EDTA vials for assessment of hematological parameters. There was significant increase in Hemoglobin (22.03%), Packed cell volume (21.1%), Total erythrocyte count (25.68%), Total leucocyte (33.02%), Absolute neutrophil count (20.61%) and Absolute lymphocyte count (61.63%) in treated rats as compare to control group. However, there was no significant difference observed in MCH, MCV and MCHC values in treated rats as compared to controls. The findings of this study suggest that the Badri cow urine distillate boosts the hematopoiesis in Wistar rats. This constitutes to be the first report of its kind on effect of Badri cow urine distillate on hemogram of Wistar rats. Keywords: Badri cow urine distillate, Hematology, Wistar rats.

Effect of HB Cleanser® Bitters on Haematological Parameters in Wistar Rats

The public advertisement with indiscriminate sale of herbal bitters has led to increase in consumption without adequate information on the safety profile of the product. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects of HB cleanser® bitters (a polyherbal mixture composing of Aloe vera, Acinos arvensis, Moringa oleifera, Chenopodium murale and Cinnamomum aromaticum, Allium sativum on haematological parameters in Wistar rats.
 Twenty-eight animals were randomly allotted into 4 groups comprising 7 animals each. HB cleanser® bitters was administered at doses of 1 ml/kg, 1.03 ml/kg and 1.29 ml/kg according to the manufacturers recommendation while the fourth group was administered with normal saline orally for 28days consecutively. Feed and fluid intake were measured daily. Haematological parameters (PCV, RBC, WBC, HB, platelet, neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, eosinophil, and basophil) were evaluated. Flavonoids, saponins and cardiac glycosides were revealed as the phytoconstituents. The results showed that the HB cleanser bitters at 1.03 ml/kg significantly (P<0.05) increased the WBC (17.00 ± 3.22 x109/L), while there was a non-significant ((P>0.05) decrease in RBC, PCV and Hb (4.88 ± 0.14 ×1012/L, 44.40 ± 1.17%, 14.54 ± 0.55 g/dl) when compared to control. A non-significant increase in platelets occurred at all doses. The findings of this study have shown that HB cleanser® bitters caused an increase in white blood cell count with a reduction in haemoglobin concentration and red blood cell count hence, it should be taken with caution.

Therapeutic effect of methanolic leaves extract of cannabis in copper induced cardio-toxicity in Wistar rats

The aim of this investigation was to study the effect of cannabis on hematological parameters of Wistar rats induced with copper toxicity. Twenty (20) rats were randomly divided into four groups of five rats each. Group A (negative control) received water only for 15 days, Group B received copper at 200 mg/kg for five days, Group C received copper at 200 mg/kg for five days then treated with cannabis at 300mg/kg for ten days and Group D received cannabis at 300mg/kg only for ten days. All the rats were sacrificed on day sixteen and blood was collected through cardiac puncture and analyzed. Prepared slides from the heart were dehydrated using a dry air oven in xylene for 30 minutes and later mounted on the microscope and viewed using oil immersion ×1000 magnification. In a group induced with copper, we observed a decrease in PVC, RBC, and WBC. Leucopenia, lymphopenia, monocytopenia, and eosinopenia were also observed. However, there was an increase in MCHC, MCH, and MCV. The result of this study shows that copper caused changes in hematological parameters that lead to anemia, also treatment with cannabis caused a relative increase in hematological parameters which was not significant enough to reverse the effect. However, cannabis only was able to cause polycythemia.

Anti-Protozoan Activities of Stachytarpheta angustifolia on Some Haematological Parameters in Wistar Rats

This study focuses on the anti-protozoan activities of Stachytarpheta angustifolia (Tarkajiya; Hausa, Devil’s coach whip; English) on haematological parameters of Albino Wistar rats which is an unexplored study area. The work is aimed at the determination of the effects of S. angustifolia on Wistar Rats, when exposed to herbal extract on the haematological parameters of Wistar Rats infected with E. tenella Biomarkers. The plant was obtained whole; dried under the shade, made into a powdered form and aqueous extraction method carried by maceration technique. After infecting the experimental animals with the parasites; E. tenella, the following respective doses of 750 mg and 1500 mg were administered to the rats in groups of 3 and 4. Results obtained were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). It was discovered that no significant harmful effect on the rats was recorded, but 60 % of the parasites were killed. This work demonstrated that the herbal extract killed the parasites but induced minimal stress to the animals as shown by the low haematological parameters in the study.

Impact of two anti-malaria drugs (artequin and chloroquine) on some hematological parameters in wistar rats

Background: Artequin (AQ) and other Artemisinin-based therapies have replaced chloroquine (CQ) as the preferred treatment for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria, due to the resistance of the parasite to CQ. This study was designed to investigate the comparative effects of CQ and AQ on some haematological parameters in Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six (36) female Wistar rats were randomly assigned into two batches. Each batch had three groups of six rats each, and they were placed on normal rat chow: AQ (1.6mg/100g bwt) and/or CQ (0.875mg/100g bwt) orally and once daily for three and seven days for batches 1 and 2, respectively. Full blood count was carried out by using an automated blood cell counter. Results: Results showed that the administration of AQ for three days did not significantly alter the levels of red blood cells (RBCs), RBC indices, hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), total and differential white blood cells (WBCs), platelet count, and platelet indices. However, CQ increased the RBCs, Hb, PCV, and eosinophils significantly (P < 0.05) compared with the control. CQ also increased the total WBCs significantly (P < 0.05) compared with AQ. Both drugs decreased neutrophil but increased lymphocyte count significantly (P < 0.05) compared with the control after three days of treatment. After seven days of administration, AQ significantly (P < 0.05) reduced RBC count, PCV, Hb, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and neutrophils compared with the control; both drugs reduced platelet count and PCT significantly (P < 0.05) compared with the control after seven days of treatment. Conclusion: The administration of AQ or CQ at their recommended doses and duration is relatively safe. However, administering a combination of Artesunate and mefloquine, and not CQ, beyond normal duration might have negative effects on hematological parameters.

Effect of Dacryodes edulis stem bark and seed on haematological parameters of wistar rats

This study was designed to assess the effect of Dacryodes edulis stem bark and seed on haematological parameters of Wistar rats. The stem bark and seeds of D. edulis were locally sourced from the same tree D. edulis in Ologbo area, Edo State, Nigeria. Acute toxicity was determined using Lorke’s method. In the main study, 80 Wistar rats were divided into 16 groups of 5 rats each. Group 1 served as control. Groups 2, 3 and 4 were administered 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract of D. edulis stem bark respectively while groups 5, 6 and 7 were administered 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg bw of methanol extract of D. edulis stem bark respectively. Animals in Group 8 served as control for the seed extracts treatment. Groups 9, 10, 11 and 12 were administered 250, 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract of D. edulis seed respectively while groups 13, 14, 15 and 16 were administered 250, 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg bw of methanol extract of D. edulis seed respectively via oral route for 28 days. At the end of the 28 day, animals were sacrificed and blood was collected via cardiac puncture. The acute toxicity study of D. edulis showed that the LD50 of the extracts used is greater than 5000 mg/kg as no mortality was recorded at this dose except for a decline in the normal activity of the animals administered 5000 mg/kg dose. Administration of 1000 mg/kg and below of aqueous and methanol extracts of D. edulis stem bark and seed was observed to have no significant effect on the parameters determined when compared with those in the control animals. However, administration of 2000 mg/kg of aqueous and methanol extracts of D. edulis stem bark and seed significantly (p

HEMATOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF CANNABIS SATIVA INDICA LEAVES ON WISTAR RATS

Cannabis indica has widely reported traditional uses which include its use for stimulation and purification of platelets as well as body defense. Experiments were carried out to assess the impact of Cannabis indica leaf extract on hematological parameters of wistar rats. The results revealed that the extract (10–100 mg/kg p.o.) produced no significant change in the packed cell volume, haemoglobin, red blood cell count, total leucocyte count, monocyte, basophil, eosinophil, bleeding time and clotting time. Platelet count was significantly (P&lt;0.05) increased at the dose of 100 mg/kg p.o. The results did not support the traditional use of the plant leaf for stimulation of blood production. It however showed improvement of non-specific immune responses involving phagocytosis and inflammation.

Effects of commonly used food additives on haematological parameters of Wistar rats

This study was done to investigate the effects of common food additives such as sodium benzoate (SB) and ascorbic acid (AA) on haematological parameters of male Wistar rats. Forty-eight (48) male albino rats with an average weight of 105 g were grouped into twelve (n = 4) of Basal Control and other 11 groups orally administered 1 mg of SB, 10 mg of SB, 10 mg of AA, 0.2 mg of AA + 0.5 mg of SB, 0.2 mg of AA + 1 mg of SB, 0.2 mg of AA + 10 mg of SB, 0.2 mg of SB + 0.1 mg of AA, 0.2 mg of SB + 0.5 mg of AA, carbonated soft drinks (CSD)+ 0.1 mg of AA, CSD + 1 mg of AA and CSD + 10 mg of AA, respectively for 21 non-consecutive days. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected in EDTA anticoagulant tubes, haematological parameters were evaluated, and data were analyzed. There was a dose-dependent increase (p < 0.05) in White Blood Cell counts of SB treated rats compared with the control group. The lymphocyte exhibited significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the groups treated with 1mg SB and 10mg SB/kg bodyweight of 67 ± 2.96 and 58 ± 4.18%, respectively. The mean corpuscular haemoglobin showed no significant difference at 95% confidence interval. However, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit and platelet were affected by an increase in the concentrations of SB. High SB concentrations increased the destruction of erythrocytes, which directly increased the catabolism of haemoglobin. However, AA administration mitigated the adverse effects of SB on the haematological parameters of the animal.

Acute and Subchronic Toxicity Profile of a Polyherbal Drug Used in Sri Lankan Traditional Medicine.

A polyherbal drug composed of leaves of Murraya koenigii L. Spreng, cloves of Allium sativum L., fruits of Garcinia quaesita Pierre, and seeds of Piper nigrum L. is a popular drug which has been used by indigenous practitioners in Sri Lanka for the treatment of diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia. The acute toxicity assessment was conducted, following a single oral dose of 0.25–2.0 g/kg in healthy rats, and rats were observed up to 14 days. The hot water extract (1.0 g/kg) and the water : acetone extract (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 g/kg) were administered to Wistar rats for 28 days in the subchronic study. Hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic activities (dose response studies) of cold water, hot water, and water : acetone extracts of the polyherbal mixture were evaluated at the doses of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 g/kg in healthy and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (70 mg/kg, ip), respectively. Acute toxicity study showed that the polyherbal drug did not cause any change in animals throughout the experimental period of 14 days. The administration of the hot water extract and the water : acetone extract of the polyherbal drug for 28 days did not produce changes in the selected biochemical and hematological parameters in Wistar rats (p > 0.05). The histological assessment corroborated the biochemical findings with no significant treatment-related changes in the kidney and liver. The treatment of polyherbal drug significantly lowered the serum glucose concentration compared to the diabetic control rats (p < 0.05) while it did not lead to a severe reduction of glucose concentration in healthy rats. The hot water and water : acetone extracts of the polyherbal drug showed a statistically significant improvement on total area under the glucose tolerance curve in diabetic rats (p < 0.05), reflecting dose-dependent antihyperglycemic effects of the drug. Based on the results, we conclude that the aforementioned antidiabetic polyherbal remedy is free of toxic/adverse effects at the equivalent human therapeutic dose in healthy Wistar rats and would be a safe therapeutic agent for long-term treatments.

Effects of subacute oral administration of aqueous extract of Macaranga barteri Müll.Arg (Euphorbiaceae) leafon anthropometric and haematological parameters in rats.

Macaranga barteri is a plant used in traditional medicine to treat many illnesses. Previous studies showed the efficacy of the aqueous extract of leaf ofthis plant (AEMb) in the treatment of gastric ulcer within the dose range of 125-500mg/kg body weight (b.w.). This study aims at evaluating the safety of AEMb on anthropometric and haematological parameters in wistar rats. Seventy rats were divided into seven groups of ten rats each, including five males and five females. The control group was repeatedly administered by gavage with distilled water at 1ml/100g for 28days while test groups 2, 3, 4 and 5, were repeatedly gavaged with AEMb at the doses of 125, 250, 500 and 1000mg/kg b.w. respectively. As for satellites (groups 6 and 7), they received daily and respectively distilled water at 1ml/100g b.w. and AEMb at the dose of 1000mg/kg b.w. The results showed that AEMbcaused no significant changes in the behaviour of rats and the weight of the organs removed (kidneys, liver, spleen, and heart) and their relative weights at the end of the 28days of treatment. However, the body weight and the amount of food consumed by animals treated with AEMb at the doses of 250, 500 and 1000mg/kg b.w. increased significantly (p < 0.05) from the third week compared to control group. Haematological analysis revealed a non-significant increase (p > 0.05) in leukocyte lineage and platelet level infemale rats at the studied doses. However, a significant (p < 0.05) increase in platelet level was recorded in male rats at 1000mg/kg b.w. A significant (p < 0.05) increase in erythrocyte and hemoglobin levels at the doses of 250, 500 and 1000mg/kg b.w. in treated animals was also revealed. In conclusion, repeated administration of AEMb over 28days to rats was safe on leucocyte lineage and most of erythrocyte indices at doses ranging from 125 to 1000mg/kg b.w. Nevertheless, the use of this extract caused a transient increase of erythrocyte, hemoglobin and platelet levels 2weeks after the end of AEMb administration, butthese effects disappeared. So, the subacute oral administration of AEMbrevealed few potential toxic effects overall.

Alterations of lymphocyte count and platelet volume precede cerebrovascular lesions in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats

Background: Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is associated with future stroke. Although pathological alteration in small vessels of patients with CSVD can be detected by neuroimaging, diagnosis of CSVD is delayed because it is an asymptomatic disease. The stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHRSP) show similar pathological features to human CSVD and develop stroke-related symptoms with advancing age.Objective: We investigated the time course of haematological parameters in Wistar rats and SHRSP.Material and Methods: Blood cells were analysed using an automated haematological analyser.Results: SHRSP develop stroke-related symptoms including onset of neurological symptoms, decreased body weight and blood brain barrier leakage between 12 and 14 weeks of age. Lymphocyte counts were gradually decreased at 3 weeks before development of stoke-related symptoms and then were further decreased after the development of stroke-related symptoms. The both mean platelet volume and large platelet ratio gradually increased at 3 weeks before the development of stoke-related symptoms. However, although SHRSP showed more microcytic red cells than Wistar rats, the trajectories of change in erythrocyte-related parameters were similar between Wistar rats and SHRSP.Conclusion: Our pilot study suggests that alterations of lymphocyte count and platelet volume predictive indicators for asymptomatic CSVD and symptomatic stroke in SHRSP.

The Effect of Irvingia gabonensis Ethanol Extracts (Ogbono) Seeds on the Growth rate and Hematological Parameters in Wistar rats.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of Irvingia gabonensis ethanol extract on the growth-rate and haematological parameters in Wistar rats. Method: This research was a randomized-controlled study of two groups using ten Male Wistar strain rats within the age of two months, weighing 80 g-146 g. Group one as the control and Group two as the test. During the study, distilled water and rat feed was given to the group one, and an oral administration of 250 mg/kg Irvingia gabonensis was given to group two for 14 days using oral gavage. The growth rate of the Wistar rats was measured as its length using a tape rule within 3 days throughout the study period. Finally, blood samples were obtained for haematological analysis using the BC-5380 Auto Haematology Analyzer. Result: We discovered that an oral administration of 250 mg/kg Irvingia gabonensis significantly increased (p<0.05) the Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (34+0.27) g/dl of the test group when compared to the control (33.23+0.23) g/dl. However, the result didn't indicate a significant change in the growth rate of both groups during the 14 days of study. Conclusion: The ethanol extract of Irvingia gabonensis seeds doesn't negatively affect blood parameters. Thus, suggesting the use of Irvingia gabonensis extract for the maintenance of normal blood function.