The Effect of Ethanol Extract of Jatropha Tanjoresis on Haematological and Histopathological Properties of Phenyl Hydrazine Induced Anaemic Rat

Abstract

Background: Herbal medicine has become an indispensable means of the health care system globally.  Jatropha tanjorensis is a commonly consumed leafy green plant in Nigeria and used in the treatment of anaemia and other ailments. Objectives: This study investigated acute toxicity and the effect of ethanol extract of Jatropha tanjorensis on haematological and histopathological properties of phenyl hydrazine induced anaemic rats. Methods: Fresh leaves of Jatropha tanjorensis were obtained from Sango otta, authenticated and identified in the department of Botany University of Lagos. The dried leaves were subjected to soxhlet extract using 70% ethanol.  A total of fifteen mice and fifty-four male Wistar rats weighing 18-23 gram and   74-131gram respectively were used for the research. Lorke’s method was used to determine acute toxicity.  They were divided into six groups of nine rats.  Groups, I, II, III, V and VI are induced with anaemia using phenylhydrazine.  Groups I, II, and III were treated with 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg of the extract respectively. Group IV served as control and was not induced nor treated. Rats in group V were treated while those in group VI received orthodox drug orheptal. The rats were sacrificed after treatment by cervical dislocation and blood collected by ocular puncture and kept in an anti-coagulant bottle and organs liver and spleen were fixed in formal saline for histological analysis. The blood samples were analyzed using an auto Haematological analyzer. Results: The result showed a significant increase in RBC, Hb, PCV, WBC and PLT in the group treated with 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 800mg/kg. There were no significant changes in MCH, MCHC in all treated groups. However, at 200mg/kg, the spleen formed a follicle. The surrounding sinus is not congested. There was no abnormality discovered in the hepatocyte.  Conclusions: The extract has LD50 of 3162 mg/kg body weight and shown to reverse the anaemic status of the induced rats.

Keywords: Anaemia, Jatropha tanjorensis, Haematological, Histopathological, Phenyl hydrazine