Effect of ethanol leaf extract of Millettia aboensis on selected haematological indices of wistar albino rats

Blessing M. Onyegeme-Okerenta*, Eugene N. Onyeike and Favour Oke Esialekpe

Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemical Sciences, College of Natural and Applied Sciences,  University of Port Harcourt, PMB 5323, Choba,  Rivers State, Nigeria.

*Corresponding Author E-Mail:  minaemy@yahoo.co.uk; blessing.onyegeme-okerenta@uniport.edu.ng; Tel: +234 (0)803 5201 039

Accepted 18 July, 2013

Abstract

Phytochemical screening of crude leaf extract of  Millettia aboensis showed  the presence of reducing sugar, alkaloids,  flavonoids, saponins, tannins, Phlobatannins and cardiac glycosides and the absence of  cyanogenic glycoside and anthraquinone. Effect of ethanol leaf extracts of M. aboensis on haematological parameters was evaluated in thirty Wistar albino rats consisting of six groups (5 rats per group). Groups were administered with 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 and 5000 mg/kg body weight of the extract and group 6 (positive control) was given normal food and water. The results showed that the haematological parameters of packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin concentration of the cell (Hb), total white blood cell counts (WBC) and platelets count of the rats administered with ethanol leaf extract of M. aboensis increased significantly (p<0.05) in groups 5 (5000 mg/kg body weight of the extract), group 4 (4000 mg/kg body weight of the extract) and group 3(3000 mg/kg body weight of the extract) compared to group 6 (positive control). Group 2 (2000 mg/kg body weight of the extract), group 1 (1000 mg/kg body weight of the extract) showed no significant difference (p>0.05) in haematological parameters of packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin concentration of the cell (Hb), total white blood cell counts (WBC) and platelets count of the rats administered with ethanol leaf extract of M. aboensis compared to group 6 (positive control).

Keywords: Millettia aboensis, Phytochemical screening, haematological parameters