Journal of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
Journal of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
(ISSN: 2635 – 3067)
Volume 1, No. 1, 2018
Pages 1-10
DOI:10.36108/jvbs/8102.10.0110
Effects of aqueous extract of Nelsonia canescens leaf on the osmotic fragility of red blood cell and blood parameters of Wistar albino rats.
*Oladele G.M.1, Faramade I.A.2 and Okediran B.S.3
1Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria.
2Diagnostic and Extension Division, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria.
3Department of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
The herbaceous plant Nelsonia canescens is a medicinal plant used in Asian and African traditional medicine for various diseases of humans and animals. The plant has been used for the treatment of pains and inflammatory action related diseases, cancer, gout, cough, fever, cardiovascular diseases, chicken pox and even malaria. Decoction of it has also been used as immune booster in patients by the traditionalists. This study was aimed at evaluating the effects of the aqueous leaf extract of the plant on the osmotic fragility of rats’ red blood cells, and also to determine the changes that occur in haematology and serum chemistry of the rats exposed orally to the extract for 28 days. Three groups of rats were administered orally with 200, 400, and 800mg/kg of the plant extract respectively while the fourth group which is the control was administered also orally with distilled water and their blood were then analyzed. The 2, 4 and 6mg/ml concentrations of the extract inhibit hypotonic solution induced rats erythrocytes hemolysis in concentration dependent manner and the inhibition is comparable to that of Indomethacin. The blood analysis showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in total white blood cells and the lymphocytes for the groups administered with 400 and 800 mg/kg of the extract while the neutrophils decreased significantly. It was then concluded that the aqueous extract of the plant inhibits red blood cell hemolysis and hence its anti-inflammatory activities. Also, the significant increase in the total white blood cells and the lymphocytes could be the reason why the plant is useful as immune booster by the traditionalists.
Keywords: Nelsonia canescens, osmotic fragility, erythrocytes, rats, blood.