Effects of Anacardium occidentale leaves on haematological and serum biochemical parameters in experimentally induced Haemorrhagic anaemia of Wistar rats

In this study the haematological benefits of crude ethanol extracts of leaves of Anacardium occidentale were evaluated on experimentally induced hemorrhagic anaemia in Wistar rats. Twenty-five (25) adult female rats were randomly shared into five groups of five rats each. Group A: normal saline at 2 ml/kg (normal control), Group B: untreated anemic rats (negative control), Group C: anaemic rats, 2 ml/kg of Ranferon^®, Group D: anaemic rats, 1000 mg/kg plant extracts and Group E: anaemic rats, combination of 1000 mg/kg plant extracts and 2 ml/kg of Ranferon^® orally for 14 days. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed Phenols (5.33%), while flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, steroids, saponins, alkaloids, tannins and terpenoids were present. Haematological and serum biochemical analysis by day 3 and 14 showed significant increases (p<0.05) in packed cell volume (37.20±0.7%), haemoglobin concentration (13.04 ± 0.5g/dl), and red blood cell counts (6.50±0.1x10¹²/L) Group C, Group D and Group E when compared to the control group while the white blood cell counts (5.36±0.2x10⁹/L) and neutrophils (1.75±0.1x10⁹/L), decreased significantly (p<0.05) across all groups when compared to the normal control. The treatments showed no adverse effects on the liver and kidneys.