Hibiscus sabdariffa Aqueous Leaf Extract Reverses Hematological Alterations in Phenylhydrazine Anemic Wistar Rats
E. B. Umoren *
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
T. A. Kolawole
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
I. Wopara
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
O. G. Adebayo
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
B. Ben-Azu
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
J. I. Uzokwe
Department of Physiology, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.
A. O. Obembe
Department of Physiology, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: The extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa commonly known as Sobo is widely consumed for its nutritional and health benefits. This study investigated the effect of aqueous leaf extract of H. sabdariffa on anemic condition caused by phenylhydrazine in rats.
Materials and Methods: Thirty (30) rats used for this study were divided into three groups of 10 rats each. Group 1 received distilled water and served as control. Group 2 received phenylhydrazine (40 mg/kg, i.p.). Group 3 was treated with phenylhydrazine (40 mg/kg, i.p.) 30 minutes prior to administration of (200 mg/kg, p.o.) aqueous extract of H. sabdariffa (Sobo) once daily for 14 days. At the end, 2 ml blood samples were collected through cardiac puncture into clean sample bottles containing ethylenediamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) for hematological analyses.
Results: Sobo significantly increased (P<0.05) hemoglobin (Hb) concentration and packed cell volume (PCV) in the phenylhdrazine-treated rats. Also, Sobo significantly (P<0.05) increased total white blood cell (TWBC) in phenylhydrazine administered rats. However, the extract did not produce any significant effect on mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) relative to control and anemic groups.
Conclusion: The findings from this study revealed that the aqueous extract of H. sabdariffa demonstrates anti-anemic effect in rats treated with phenylhydrazine, suggesting its ethno-pharmacological beneficial effect in anemic conditions.
Keywords: Sobo, anemic condition, immune system