Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the comparative effects of aqueous leaves extracts of some medicinal plants; Vernonia amygdalina, Momordica charantia, Moringa oleifera, Jatropha curcas, Phyllantus amarus, and Rauvolfia vomitoria on haematology and liver enzymes in male Wistar rats. Sixty-five (65) adult male Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: control - 5 rats fed with pellet, test - 30 rats (5/leaf), and recovery - 30 rats (5/leaf) both received 0.3 ml of aqueous leaves extract of the medicinal for 21 days and the recovery group was allowed to recover for another 21 days without extract administration. Thereafter some biochemical parameters were evaluated. There was a significant increase (p<0.05) in packed cell volume and heamoglobin level when test and recovery groups were compared with the control group in all the medicinal plants under study with the exception of Jatropha curcas that has a non-significant decrease (p>0.05) in packed cell volume. The white blood cell decreased significantly (p<0.05) when test and recovery groups were compared to the control group in all the medicinal plants with the exception of Jatropha curcas which increased significantly (p<0.05). There was a significant increase (p< 0.05) in red blood cells when the test and recovery groups of the medicinal plants were compared to the control group. There was a significant increase (p< 0.05) in levels of ALP in Phyllantus amarus and Moringa oleifera when test and recovery groups were compared with the control group while there was a non-significant increase in Jatropha curcas, Rauwolfia vomitoria, and Momordica charantia. The level of ALP in Vernonia amygdalina decreased (p< 0.05) insignificantly. There was an insignificant increase (p>0.05) in the levels of AST in all the medicinal plants except for Momordica charantia, which increased significantly when the test and recovery groups were compared with the control group. There was an insignificant increase p>0.05) in ALT levels in Jatropha curcas, Rauwolfia vomitoria, and Momordica charantia when test and recovery groups were compared with the control group while there was a non-significant decrease in Phyllantus amarus, Moringa oleifera, and Vernonia amygdalina. The results of this study show that the aqueous leaf extract of all medicinal plants possesses anti-anemic and heamopoietic activities. This may be attributed to their phytochemicals and minerals content. The current study also suggests that oral administration of the aqueous leaf extract of most medicinal plants are not relatively safe on hepatocytes and did have a deleterious effect on the liver at the dosage investigated.