Haematinic and haematopoietic potentials of methanolic extract of Citrullus lanatus (Watermelon) seeds in experimental rats

Article Information Anaemia is thought to afflict 30 % of women between the ages of 15 and 49, 40 % of pregnant women, and 37 % of children aged 6 to 59 months worldwide. Haematinic and haematopoietic effects of Citrullus lanatus seeds extract (CLSE) was investigated in albino rats. Twenty-five rats were grouped into 5, labeled A to E. Naïve groups (C and D) were not induced for anaemia while anaemic groups (A and B) were intra-peritoneally induced for anaemia with 0.1 mg/kg of phenylhydrazine for one week before commencement of extract administration. Groups (A–B) and (C–D) were orally administered with graded-doses of CLSE (250–500 mg/kg) respectively for 14 days. Group E served as normal control. Blood sample (5 mL) was collected from each rat on days 8 and 15, 3.0 mL dispensed into ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid containers for estimation of haematological parameters. Day 8 revealed a significant decrease and increase in haemoglobin (Hb), haematocrit (Hct), red blood cells (RBC) of group A and group D respectively, when compared to group E (p<0.05) respectively. The neutrophil of groups A and B decreased significantly when compared to the control (p<0.05). The lymphocytes of groups A and B increased significantly when compared to the control (p<0.05). The monocyte and eosinophil of group A increased significantly when compared to the control (p<0.05) respectively. Day 15 revealed Hb in group C, Hct and RBC in groups C and D increased significantly when compared to groups E (p<0.05) respectively. Total white blood cell (TWBC) of group D increased significantly; when compared with the control (p<0.05). Lymphocyte of group A significantly increased when compared with the control (p<0.05). The seed extracts of Citrullus lanatus demonstrated-dosage and time-dependent haematopoietic and haematinic potentials in normal and anaemic albino rats.