The effect of crude methanolic leaf extracts of Saccharum officinarum (sugar cane) on some haematological parameters in Wistar rats.

Abstract

Objective: Leaf extracts of Saccharum officinarum have numerous medicinal properties and have been used by humans in the treatment of many ailments. There is paucity of information towards the effect of leaf extract of Saccharum officinarum on hematological parameters. Thus we decided to investigate on the effect of crude methanolic leaf extract of Saccharum sofficinarum on some hematological parameters in Albino Wistar rats.
Materials and methods: Twenty (20) male Albino Wistar rats weighing 100 – 200g, aged 2 – 3 months, obtained from the Animal House of the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus were acclimatized for two weeks and fed with commercially available rat feed and have access to the feed and water ad-libitum. The rats were divided into five groups labeled A to E. Groups A to D were orally administered with graded doses of the crude extract (200, 400, 800 and 1600mg/kg body weight) once daily for 28 days in lower concentration compared to an oral LD50 of >5000mg/kg. Group E served as control without receiving the extract. On Day 29, 2.5ml of blood sample were collected from each rat through the median canthus into Tripotassium- ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (K3-EDTA) containers for haemoglobin estimation, haematocrit, total leucocyte count, platelet count and blood film.
Results: The results revealed significantly increased total leucocyte count in all the groups (A=5.6±0.2, B=6.0±0.7, C=6.1±0.4, D=8.0±0.4 x 109/L) when compared with control E=4.6±0.3 x 109/L (p<0.05). The blood film revealed dose dependent neutrophilia in all the groups when compared with the control. Other parameters did not differ significantly when compared with the control (p>0.05).
Conclusion: This result pattern suggests that the crude methanolic leaf extract of Saccharum officinarum may posses‘ properties that stimulate neutrophil leucopoiesis.

Key words: Saccharum officinarum, Wistar rats, Hematological parameters, Leucopoiesis.