Abstract

Effects of Emilia praetermissa leaf extract on the haematological and biochemical parameters of cold-water stress induced ulceration in albino rats were the focus of this study. Blood samples collected from stress induced ulcerated Wistar rats by cold water immersion were used to evaluate the haematological and biochemical parameters. This study was conducted using twenty rats randomly divided into four groups, Group A which was control group and three test Groups B, C and D. All three test groups were subjected to cold water induced stress ulceration. Groups B and C were treated with normal saline (10 ml/kg body weight) and E. praetermissa(500 mg/kg body weight) respectively,  for seven days after stress induced ulceration while the Group D was pretreated with E. praetermissa (500 mg/kg) for fourteen days before cold water stress induced ulceration. The results showed that Stress reduced all blood parameters tested except total white blood cell and platelet counts when compared with control while E. praetermissa increased all the blood parameters tested above that of control despite the induced stress. However, the extract significantly (p < 0.05) reduced biochemical parameters such as alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransaminase (AST). The results therefore suggest that E. pratermissa has haemopoietic potential, it could stimulate blood cell formation and also powerful enough to suppress effects of stress on haematological parameters in stress-ulcerated Wistar rats.

Key words: Emilia praetermissa, cold water immersion, ulcer, haematological and biochemical parameters.