Haematological and sperm count changes following Exposure to Hyptis suaveolens, Cleome viscose and Urena lobata in rats

The plants Hyptis suaveolens, Clome viscosa and Urena lobata are herbs commonly found growing in pasture and also used as medicinal plant in Nigeria. They were suspected to be toxic following a pilot toxicity study, and their toxic effects were thus evaluated on haematological parameters and sperm count of albino rats. The crude aqueous extract of the leaves of these plants were administered orally for 28 days and the haematological analysis of the rats treated with Cleome viscosa showed a significant decrease (p0.05) in the erythrocyte indices, white blood cell count and differentials. The neurophils number also increased significantly (

Hypoglycaemic and coronary risk index lowering effects of Bauhinia thoningii in alloxan induced diabetic rats

Background: Disease, one of humanity's greatest adversaries, has in recent times showed an intimidating increase in numerical and pathological strength. This stretched the available medications to the limit thereby necessitating the need for the discovery of new and alternative medications to combat the menace of disease. Diabetic mellitus is one disease condition for which ideal synthetic drugs are yet to be discovered. To this end, pharmaceuticals are looking in the direction of medicinal plants. Objective: This work aimed at screening Bauhinia thoningii (leaves) for its hypoglycaemic effect. The effect of the extract on lipid profile as a Coronary Risk Index (CRI) was also evaluated. Methods: Aqueous crude extract of the plant was administered orally to alloxan induced diabetic rats and fasting blood glucose monitored over a period of 7 days. Blood samples collected from the rats were assayed for full lipid profile and the CRI calculated. Results: Bauhinia thoningii caused 81.37% reduction in blood glucose of the experimental animals over a period of 7 days from an initial 365 mg/dl to 68 mg/dl. The plant extract was also observed to have the capacity to ameliorate diabetic complications like cardiovascular disorders. The extract reduced the Low Density lipoprotein (LDL) and reduced the CRI. Conclusions: Results from this study confirmed the hypoglycaemic efficacy of the extract and ability to ameliorate coronary diabetic complications. Further study is required to purify the plant extract to identify the fraction(s) that are responsible for the hypoglycaemic effects observed. This will also help to isolate the active components and elucidate the likely mechanism of action of the plant extract

Toxic effects of the extracts of Eugenia uniflora Linn. in rats

The toxi effects of the leaves of Eugenia uniflora Linn on rats was evaluated by observing abnormal changes in the haemogram including erythron and leukogram, serum biochemical parameters, histopathology, and hexobarbital sleeping time. The leaf extract produced significant increases in the packed cell volume (PCV)  haemoglobin concentration and total red blood cell counts (P.05) but did not influence the blood coagulation  time. Similarly the leaf extract of Eugenia uniflora produced significant increases (P.05) in the serum  activities of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate a rninotrasfemse. Although the extract did not produce histological lesions of the liver, the increases in liver enzyme activities could be due to incipient liver damage.Key words:- Eugenia uniflora , Erythron , Leucogram, Am inotransferas

Influence of Lindane or Fenitrothion on the response to treatment of trypanosomosis in rats

Studies were conducted on the influence of the insecticides, Undone or fenitrothion on the course of treatment of experimental trypanosomosis infection in rats by evaluating changes in hematological and biochemical parameters : n groups of animals. Groups of rats were pretreated with either lindane or fenitrothion, infected with Trypanosoma brucei, before treatment with Berenil 7or quinapyramine. It was observed that the group of animals pretreated with fenitrothion before administration of Berenil 7 had significantly (P<0.05) higher packed cell volume(PCV), hemoglobin concentration (Hb) total white blood cell count (WBC) and red blood cell count (RBC) when compared to the untreated control and those treated with berenil alone. The hematological parameters from the group of rats pretreated with fenitrothion before the use quinapyramine, were not significantly (P>0.05) different from those treated with quinapyramine alone though the group given quinapyramine alone showed slightly higher serum biochemical parameters, Na+, Cl-, HCO32, alkaline phosphatase ALP), alanine aminotransferase(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and serum total protein when compared to the pretreated group. This may suggest the influence of fenitrothion on the metabolism of quinapyramine. Animals pretreated with lindane before treating with berenil had lower PCV, and Hb compared to the untreated control and may suggest that lindane had induced the metabolism of berenil.This observation is corroborated by the higher PCV, Hb, and RBC values of the group treated with berenil alone. Furthermore, the observation that the group pretreated with lindane before administering berenil had lower ALT, and AST compared to the untreated control group shows that the berenil had started action to reduce the parasitaemia and therefore tissue damage, before its metabolism. The group pretreated with lindane before giving quinapyramine, had significantly (P<0.05) lower AST, ALT, and serum protein levels compared with the untreated controls. This may suggest the non influence of lindane on quinapyramine metabolism. Key words: Trypanosomosis, insecticides, berenil, quinapyramine, haematology, serum biochemistry

The prevalence of poultry coccidiosis and the anticoccidials in use in Southern Nigeria

Forty brooder houses were sampled from (our States in the southern part of Nigeria, namely: Oyo, Lagos, Imo and Anambra States, to identify the species of coccidia. Five species of Eimeria were isolated including  Eimeria tenella,· E. necatrix; E. maxima and E. mivati/E. mitis. Using the McMaster count, the number of oocyst occuring in each brooder house was calculted with the species of Eimeria oocyst, confirmed by  experimentally infecting dean chicks and determining occyst size using the ocular micrometer. Frequent  outbreaks of coccidiosis in these brooder houses were obviously prevented by the practise of administering   anticoccidials daily until the birds were mature as can be observed with the use of common drugs as  coccidiovit, amprolium, deccox, furazol, naecox and coxdiu.Key words:- Brooder house, Coccidia, Eimeria, Poultry anticoccidials