Ugwu Ngozi Immaculata, Okparaoka Samuel Uchechukwu, E. Iyare Eghosa, Anyaehie Ugochukwu Bond,
Assessment of Haematological Changes in Albino Wistar Rats Following Oral Administration
of Graded Doses of Alcoholic Polyherbal Formulation (Action Bitter),
International Journal of Tropical Medicine,
Volume 16,Issue 1,
2021,
Pages 1-6,
ISSN 1816-3319,
ijtmed.2021.1.6,
(https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=ijtmed.2021.1.6)
Abstract: Medicinal plants can be used for the synthesis
of useful drugs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the
haematological changes in albino wistar rats treated with
graded doses of alcoholic polyherbal formulation (action
bitter). Albino wistar rats were assigned into four groups:
a control group (A) that received only distilled water
while the 3 test groups B, C and D received 100, 200 and
300 mg kg–1 dose of action bitter respectively, daily for 3
months. Blood sample was collected from all groups and
Packed Cell Volume (PCV), White Blood Cell (WBC)
count, platelet count were determined. Action bitter was
also analysed for heavy metal content. One hundred and
twenty wistar rats, made up of 60 (50%) males and 60
(50%) females were used for the study. Among the males,
PCV progressively increased with a mean±SD of
42.3±2.0% in the control group to 45.3±1.2%, 49.7±2.1%
and 48.7±3.1 among groups B, C and D, respectively.
Similarly, among female rats, mean PCV progressively
increased from 44.0±0.0% in the control group to
46.0±2.8, 47±0.0 and 45.9±1.6% among groups B, C and
D, respectively. In the same way, mean platelet count
significantly increased progressively among male rats
from 156±57×109 L–1 in the control group to 232±35,
257±41 and 291±10×109 L–1 among groups B, C and D
(p<0.05). Females also showed similar result with
progressive platelet increase from 228±17×109 L–1 in the
control group to 240±51, 226±40 and 236±51×109 L–1
among group B, C and D, respectively. Additionally,
WBC progressively decreased among males from mean
value of 12.9±3×109 L–1 in the control group to 12.3±2,
10.1±1 and 11.5±2×109 L–1 among groups B, C and D,
respectively. Females also had progressively lower WBC
count from mean value of 10.9±3×109 L–1 among the
control group to 10.2±4, 9.2±2 and 8.2±2×109 L–1 among
groups B, C and D, respectively. Action bitter contain
iron, zinc, copper and chromium at the level of 61.2, 1.74,
0.89 and 0.02 mg kg–1, respectively. Administration of
action bitter to Albino wistar rats increased PCV
and platelet count but decreased WBC count.
Essential heavy metal content of action bitter includes
iron, zinc, copper and chromium. Further studies
are needed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of
action bitter in management of anaemia and
thrombocytopeania.
Keywords: Action Bitter;haematological changes;Packed Cell Volume;Platelet;White blood cell