LONG-TERM HAEMATOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF AQUEOUS ROOT EXTRACTS OF Urena lobata ON NORMAL RABBITS

Abstract

Urena lobata is used to treat many diseases in Nigeria, including diabetes mellitus. Our studies have shown its hypoglycaemic and anti-diabetic effects in normal rabbits and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats respectively. This study was designed to assess the long-term (24 weeks) effects of U. lobata administration (200 mg/kg body weight) on haematological status of normal rabbits. U. lobata treatment significantly (p<0.05) increased red blood cell (RBC) count, haemoglobin (Hb) concentration and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), as well as platelet counts, of normal rabbits. White blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil and lymphocyte counts were transiently significantly (p<0.05) altered. Extract administration did not affect monocyte, basophil and eosinophil counts. Though our findings imply that U. lobata administration fleetingly stimulated an immune response, it did not adversely alter the haematological status of normal rabbits upon long-term administration; it even improved the RBC indices of the rabbits.