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Haematological Effects of Leaf Extract of Moringa oleifera Lam in Normal and Myelo-suppressed Wistar Rats
Ufelle, S.A; Onyekwelu, K.C; Achukwu, P.U; Ezeh, C.O & Ghasi, S
Abstract
Haematological effects of leaves extract of Moringa oleifera Lam were investigated in normal and myelo-suppressed Wistar rats.
Acute toxicity and phytochemistry of Moringa oleifera were determined. Wistar-rats (n=35), aged 2 to 3 months, weighing 120
- 170 grams were divided into 5 groups of 7 rats per group, labeled A to E. Groups A and B were induced intraperitoneally with
3mg/kg body weight (b.wt) of cyclophosphamide for 7 days to achieve myelo-suppression. Groups A, B, C and D were orally
administered with graded-doses of the extract (A=150, B=300, C=150 and D=300 mg/kg body weight) for 14 days. Group E
served as control. Blood samples (3.0 ml) were collected on days 8 and 15 from each rat through the retro orbital plexus of the
median canthus into tri-potassium ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid containers and analyzed using haematological auto analyzer
(Sysmex KX-21N) following manufacturers guideline. The acute toxicity test of Moringa oleifera leaves revealed an oral LD50
of 3000 mg/kg body weight. Its phytochemical analyses revealed flavonoids ++, alkaloids ++, saponins +, tannins +, proteins
++, carbohydrate +, reducing ssugars +, steroids ++ and terpenoids +. On days 8 and 15 respectively, haemoglobin, haematocrit
and total white blood cells of groups C, D and RBC of group D increased significantly (p < 0.05) when compared with the
control. Groups A and B revealed dose- and time-dependent non-significant increases (p >0.05) in haemoglobin, haematocrit,
red blood cells and total white blood cells on day 15 when compared with day 8.
Keywords
Moringa oleifera; toxicity; phytochemical; myelo-suppression
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