Haematopoietic Potential of Ethanolic Leaf Extract of Talinum triangulare in Wistar Rats

Aim: This study focuses on assessing the haematopoietic potential of ethanolic extract of Talinum triangulare leaves in Wistar rats.

Methods: Fresh plants of T. triangulare were purchased from a local market in Orita-Challenge area of Ibadan, Nigeria. They were air dried at room temperature in an open laboratory space for 21 days and milled into powder. The extraction was done using soxhlet apparatus and ethanol as the solvent. The ethanol was evaporated in a rotary evaporator at 35°C with a yield of 2.76 g which represents a percentage yield of 11.04%. Ten adult male Wistar rats with body weight between 150 and 170 g were used for this study. They were randomly divided into two groups of five rats each. Animals in group A were administered saline solution while those in group B were administered T. triangulare leaf extract. The administration was done 12 hourly for twenty-eight days at 100 mg/kg body weight via oral route since the plant is consumed orally. At the end of the treatment, animals were fasted overnight and anaesthetized using diethyl ether. Blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture into heparinized bottles. Haematological parameters were determined using standard methods.

Results: A significant increase was observed in the PCV, Hb, RBC, MCV, WBC, lymphocyte and platelet counts of control animals when compared with those treated with leaf extract of T. triangulare at p<0.05. However, treatment had no significant difference on the neutrophil of animals.

Conclusion: The significant increase observed in the erythrocyte parameters of animals used in this study indicates that T. triangulare leaves have haematopoietic properties and can be used to boost blood level especially in menstruating and pregnant women as well as anaemia patients. Its ability to significantly increase white blood cell parameters is an indication that T. triangulare leaves can boost the immune system and thus defend the body against xenobiotics.