Effect of Ethanolic Leaf Extract of Vernonia amygdalina on Haematological Parameters in Albino Rats

Abstract

It has been demonstrated that Vernonia amygdalina, often known as the bitter leaf, offers a range of medical benefits that can improve human health. This study was designed to investigatethe effects of V. amygdalina (VA) ethanolic leaf extracts on some haematological parameters in albino rats. A total of thirty - six albino rats fed with a commercial pelleted poultry grower’s mash- diet were used for this study and they were divided into six groups, each containing six rats. Groups 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 received 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 mg/kg body weight (bwt) of VA leaf extract three times a week at two-day intervals over a period of three weeks. Group 6 (control) received water only. The haematological parameters (red blood cell count (RBC), haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), total white blood cell count (TWBC), platelet (PLT) count, and WBC differentials (neutrophils, lymphocytes, and mixed cells) were analyzed using three part full blood count autoanalyzer. The results showed that although the mean neutrophil count differed significantly (p<0.05) when compared between the groups studied, there was no statistically significant (p>0.05) difference in the mean levels of PCV, Hb, RBC, TWBC, platelet count, lymphocytes and mixed cell count when compared across and between the groups. This study revealed that Vernonia amygdalina had no negative effects on the haematological indicators studied.