HAEMATOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF AQUEOUS ACALYPHA WIKESIANA

ABSTRACT

Anemia remains one of the major public health problems, affecting one-third of all adults and nearly two billion people globally. Anaemia results in impaired psychomotor and cognitive development, low productivity and have long-term health and economic consequences. Although different risk factors influence anaemia independently, they commonly exist concomitantly, making it challenging to single out a definitive cause especially in resource-poor settings where access to advanced diagnostic tools is limited. In spite of advancement in medical sciences, millions of people in various traditional systems still employ the use of medicinal plants to treat their ailments. This is on account of a number of reasons including affordability, accessibility and low cost. This has led to the exploration of medicinal plants, which are cheap, easily accessible, works in a holistic manner and presents little or no side effects. Acalypha wikesiana is one of such plants used in Africa. Acalypha wikesiana has been shown to possess anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antidiabetic, analgesic, antiparasitic and antihypertensive properties. This study was designed to investigate haematological and biochemical evaluation of aqueous leaf extracts of A.wikesiana on phenyl hydrazine induced anemia in male Wistar rats. Thirty (30) male Wistar rats weighing 140-200g were used for the experiment. Anaemia was induced with phenyl hydrazine intraperitonearally. Acalypha wikesiana was administered orally at 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg (groups 4, 5, and 6) respectively; vitamin E was administered to group 3 (positive control) at 450 mg/kg to phenyl hydrazine induced anemic Wister rats by gavage for 14 days.