Folic acid induced Haematotoxicity in mice and its amelioration with Ferulic acid

Abstract

Folic acid or Folate, an essential B-vitamin, plays a pivotal role in various metabolic processes, including DNA synthesis and gene expression regulation. But excessive intake of folic acid has been attributed to several detrimental health effects. Ferulic acid (4-hydroxy-3-methoxy cinnamic acid) is a phenolic compound having wide range of potency. The protective effect of ferulic acid against haematotoxicity induced by folic acid was assessed in the current study. Utilizing in vivo experimental designs, the study aimed to elucidate the ameliorative impact of ferulic acid on haematotoxicity induced by folic acid, focusing on the analysis of key haematological parameters. Adult male C57BL/6 mice were administered folic acid at a dose of 250 mg/kg body weight for a period of 14 days to induce toxicity, while ferulic acid was concurrently administered at a dosage of 100 mg/kg body weight. Haematological parameters, including Total Erythrocyte Count (TEC), Total Leukocyte Count (TLC), Haemoglobin (Hb) concentration, Packed Cell Volume/Haematocrit (PCV/Hct), and Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), were meticulously assessed. Significant (p˂0.05) decrease in TEC, Hb, PCV, MCV, lymphocytes and increase in Total leukocyte count (TLC) and neutrophils were observed. The findings of this investigation strongly suggest that ferulic acid exerts substantial mitigating effects against folic acid-induced haematotoxicity.