Effects of Anti-Sickling Polyherbal Mixture on Haematological Indices in Normal and Anaemia-Induced Rabbits

Some plants used in the management of sickle cell disease (SCD) have been shown to increase gelling time of sickle cell blood and inhibits sickling in vitro, reversal of sickling, inhibiting osmotically induced haemolysis of erythrocytes, membrane stabilization. Plants such as Sorghum bicolar, Phyllanthus amarus, U. afzelii, Securidaca longipedunculata, Momordica charantia, Dalium guineense have been found to exhibit anti-sickling properties. The polyherbal combination of these drugs was used in this study for the investigation of the effects of anti-sickling polyherbal mixture on haematological indices in rabbits. Sixty (60) New Zealand rabbits weighing 1200g ±200g, conducted in duplicate and designated experiment X (normal rabbits) and Y (anaemia induced using Cadmium 2mg/kg +10 mg/Kg body weight phenylhydrazine for 15 days). Both groups were further subdivided into four groups (A-D) with 5 animals each, administered saline substitute, different grades of polyherbal mixtures for 8 weeks. Blood sample (2mls) was collected into Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acetic Acid (EDTA) bottles for full blood count. The results in the experiment (X) showed significant increase in WBC (103/μl) count across the groups (B=8.15±0.33; C=9.3±0.74; D=9.8±0.59) compared to the control group (A=7.25±0.44) (p<0.05). RBC (106/μl) count showed insignificant increase in group B (5.1±0.20) and C (5.6±0.450), decrease level in D (4.4±0.26) compared to control A (4.8±0.29) (p<0.05). Hb(g/dl) and HCT (%) showed similar pattern with insignificant increased levels across all treatment groups (B=14.8±0.59, 43.4±1.74; C=15.5±0.78, 45.8±3.; D=14.2±0.85, 43.7±2.62) compared to control A (13.6±0.68; 41.5±2.49) respectively. Platelets showed significant increase in group B and C (286±17.16 and 286±17.16) compared to control A (244±9.76) with significant decrease in group D (226±18.08) (p<0.05). In experiment (Y), WBC count showed significant increase across all treatment groups (B= 6.4±0.26 C= 6.8±0.54 D =10.6±0.64) compared to control (A= 4±0.24) (p<0.05). RBC (106/μl) count in control A gave (2.5±0.15), insignificant increase in B (3.1±0.12) with significant increase in group C (3.5±0.28) and insignificant decrease in D (2.2±0.13) (p<0.05). Higher level of Hb (g/dL) was seen in group B and C (B= 8.4±0.34; C= 9.1±0.46), while D (7.7±0.46) had a slightly elevated value compared to the control A (7.1±0.36) (p<0.05). HCT (%) showed significant increase across the groups (B=26±1.04; C=28±2.24; D=24±1.44) (p<0.05) compared to control A (18±1.08). Red cell indices showed some degree of derangement across the study groups. Findings in this study suggest that polyherbal mixture have a positive effect on the haemoglobin, red blood cells, packed cell volume and white blood cell count of the rabbits in a dose dependent manner.