Department of Medical Biochemistry, School of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria; Department of Biochemistry, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria
Omonkhua, A.A., Department of Medical Biochemistry, School of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria; Onoagbe, I.O., Department of Biochemistry, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria
The use of Irvingia gabonensis in the treatment of several ailments is documented. Our previous studies have established the long-term anti-obesity, hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic effects of aqueous stem bark extracts in normal rabbits. This study was designed to evaluate the long term (24 weeks) effect of daily oral administration of aqueous bark extracts of I. gabonensis on haematological parameters, assessed at pre-determined intervals, of normal rabbits as part of the biochemical evaluation of the plant. Plant extract administration caused significant (p<0.05) increases in red blood cell (RBC) count, packed cell volume (PCV) and haemoglobin (HbJ concentration, as well as platelet count. The mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) of I. gabonensis treated rabbits were mostly similar to control throughout the period of monitoring. White blood cell (WBC), and differential counts were largely unaffected by medicinal plant administration. This study revealed that long-term treatment of rabbits with I. gabonensis bark extracts improved haematopoietic system of rabbits and did not negatively affect their immune system. © CMS UNIBEN JMBR.
hematologic agent; hemoglobin; Irvingia gabonensis extract; plant extract; unclassified drug; animal experiment; animal model; aqueous solution; article; bark; chronic drug administration; controlled study; drug isolation; erythrocyte count; hematocrit; hematopoietic system; hemoglobin blood level; Irvingia gabonensis; leukocyte differential count; low drug dose; mean corpuscular hemoglobin; mean corpuscular volume; medicinal plant; nonhuman; phytochemistry; rabbit; thrombocyte count; toxicity testing; treatment duration