Haematological effects of ethanolic extract of Blepharis linariifolia alone or co-administered with aluminum chloride in rats

Abstract

Background and objectives: The indigenous medicinal plants in Sudan form an important component of the natural wealth of the country. Most of these plants have been used indiscriminately by many local populations for managing various diseases without actually knowing how relief is brought about or its safety/toxicity risks. The effect of oral administration of Blepharis linariifolia ethanolic extract alone and/or co-administered with aluminium chloride at different doses on haematological profile in white albino rats was investigated in this study. Materials and Methods: The animals were divided into five groups of five animals each. Group A: Control, Group B, C were administered orally by AlCl3 alone (0.5 mg/Kg BW), plant extract (400 mg/ml), plant extract (200 mg/ml), respectively, throughout the experiment which continued for consecutive 14 days and 28 days Group E was administered with plant extract (400 mg/ml) concurrently with AlCl3 for consecutive 14 days and 28 days. The blood parameters measured were: White Blood Cells count (WBCs), Red Blood Cells count (RBCs), Haemoglobin concentration (Hb), Haemocrit value (HCT), Mean Cell Volume (MCV), Mean Cell Haemoglobin (MCH), Mean Cell Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), Platelets (PLT) and Lymphocytes (LYM). Results: Treatment of rats (B group) with AlCl3 after 14 days caused significant difference at P