EFFECT OF EUPHORBIA HIRTA LEAF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT ON HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN NORMAL AND STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED DIABETIC ADULT MALE WISTAR RATS

ABSTRACT This study investigated the effect of Euphorbia hirta leaf ethanolic extract (AMEE) on hematological parameters in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic adult male Wistar rats. Euphorbia hirta leaf was collected from within the College of Medicine compound of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State. Forty (20 diabetics and 20 non-diabetic) adult male Wistar rats of comparable weights (100 ± 20g) were used for this study. Diabetes was induced by intra- peritoneal injection of 50mg/kg body weight of freshly prepared streptozotocin dissolved in 0.10M citrate buffer (pH 4.5) in 20 rats after 24 hours food fasting. There were divided to 8 groups (n=5) as follows; group 1 normal control while groups 2, 3 and 4 were non-diabetic rats treated 250 mg/kg ELEEH, 500 mg/kg ELEEH and 0.1 mg/kg glimepiride respectively and groups 5 to 8 were diabetic rats without treatment, treated 250 mg/kg ELEEH, 500 mg/kg ELEEH, and 0.1mg/kg glimepiride respectively for 21 days. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected for analysis of some hematological parameters such as pack cell volume (PCV), red blood cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC) and platelets counts estimation. The data was analyzed using statistical package and one-way analysis of variance was used to test the significant at p≤0.05. The ELEEH treatment in non-diabetc rats was observed not to significantly alter hematological parameter. However, streptozotocin-induced diabetic was shown to significantly increase WBC but decreased PCV, RBC, and platelet count. Treatment of diabetic rats with ELEEH was observed to signifcantll modifed these hematological parameters following diabetic inducton. These findings indicate that ELEEH possess the potentials to decrease diabetc induced hematological indices alterations and thus the need for further study on the mechanism involved.