Abstract

EXAMINATIONS OF SOME HAEMATOLOGICAL INDICES OF DICLOFENAC-ULCERATED RATS GIVEN THE METHANOL FRACTION OF THE ETHANOL LAYER OF THE CHLOROFORM-ETHANOL LEAF EXTRACT OF DACRYODES EDULIS

Christian E. ODO*

ABSTRACT

Gastrointestinal bleeding may be associated with gastric ulceration and when severe, could result in haematologic anomalies such as anaemia among others. The use of herbal medicines for the treatment of gastric ulcer and its related problems is encouraged due to their accessibility and affordability inter alia. This study was aimed at evaluating the aqueous extract, chloroform and ethanol layers of the chloroform-ethanol leaf extract of D. edulis for their anti-oxidant vitamin contents and acute toxicities. Based on the outcomes of the preliminary investigations, the most promising of the three (ethanol layer) was further fractionated and the effects of the most desirable fraction (methanol fraction) on some haematological indices of diclofenac-ulcerated rats were examined. The anti-oxidant vitamin contents and acute toxicities of the aqueous extract, chloroform and ethanol layer as well as the effects of the methanol fraction of the ethanol layer of chloroform-ethanol leaf extract of D. edulis on red blood cell (RBC) count, packed cell volume (PCV), concentration of haemoglobin (Hb) and total white blood cell (tWBC) count were determined using standard methods. The anti-oxidant vitamins contents of the aqueous extract, chloroform and ethanol layers were: vitamins A (1.34 ± 0.06, 1.83 ± 0.08 and 1.79 ± 0.08 μg/100 g), C (0.76 ± 0.05, 0.62 ± 0.05 and 0.79 ± 0.03 mg/100 g) and E (0.86 ± 0.05, 1.17 ± 0.07 and 1.04 ± 0.05 mg/100 g) respectively. Each of the aqueous extract, chloroform and ethanol layers caused no mortality up to a dose of 5000 mg/kg body weight (b.w). Administration of the methanol fraction significantly (p < 0.05) and dose-dependently increased the RBC count, PCV, Hb concentration and tWBC count of the ulcerated rats. The methanol fraction of the ethanol layer of the chloroform-ethanol leaf extract of D. edulis remarkably increased the haematological indices of the ulcerated rats. These support the use of D. edulis leaves in the treatment of gastric ulcer traditionally especially when anaemia shows up from such ulcer.

Keywords: Gastrointestinal bleeding, Gastric ulceration, Anaemia, Dacryodes edulis and Haematological indices.