Effect Of Methanol Extract Of Brazilian Plume Flower (Justicia Carnea) And Almond Leaves (Terminalia Catappa) On The Haematological Status Of Anaemic Wistar Rats.:- Orji, Marylene A

ABSTRACT x The study investigated the effect ofmethanol extract o£Justicia earned and tropical almond (Terminalia catappa) leaves on the hematological status of anemic Wistar rats. An experimental design was adopted, involving sixty (30) male Wistar rats randomly assigned into six groups. Anemia was induced using phenylhydrazine at 40 mg/kg body weight for two days before treatment commenced. The rats were treated with methanol extracts of Justicia carnea and almond leaves at 300 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg body weight, respectively, alongside a standard drug (Fesolate at 200 mg/kg body weight) and an untreated control group. Hematological parameters, including hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell (RBC) count, total white blood cell (TWBC) count, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), were assessed before and after treatment. The results showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in hemoglobin levels from 24.60-24.80 g/dL at baseline to 43.00-47.20 g/dL post-treatment in the groups treated with Justicia carnea and almond extracts. PCV increased significantly (p<0.05) from 4.32-4.56% to 7.05-7.81%, while RBC count improved from 9.40-14.16 xlOVpL to 9.48-11.99 xlO6/|iL. MCV significantly decreased (p<0.05) from 26.84-28.87 fL to 23.44-23.76 fL, while MCH declined from 49.69-50.73 pg to 37.40-42.21 pg. MCHC also decreased significantly (p<0.05) from 32.60-33.33 g/dL to 32.52-32.96 g/dL. The study concludes that methanol extracts of Justicia carnea and almond leaves significantly improve hematological parameters in anemic Wistar rats, supporting their traditional use in managing anemia. It is recommended that further studies explore the exact bioactive compounds responsible for the observed effects and assess their long-term safety in humans