Effect of Mucuna Sloanei Seed Ethanol Extract on Some Haematological Indices in Monosodium Glutamate Intoxicated Albino Rats

Abstract

Some food additives have been known to disrupt the integrity of blood cells while some medicinal plants are presumed to combat these deleterious effects and Mucuna sloanei is one of such plants. In this study, we evaluated the blood profile of Monosodium glutamate (MSG) intoxicated albino rats treated with ethanolic seed extract of Mucuna sloanei. Thirty (30) female albino rats were divided into 6 groups, n= 5. Group 1 received 1 ml of clean water (normal control); Group 2 was intoxicated with MSG only (8000 mg/kg), Group 3 received extract only (400 mg/kg) while Groups 4, 5 and 6 were also intoxicated with MSG at the dose of 8000 mg/kg then treated with different doses of the extract (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg) respectively. They were treated for 28 days and their blood were collected for haematology using standard analytical procedures. Blood parameters evaluated include RBC, PCV, WBW, Hb, platelet and RBC indices. The results showed that rats intoxicated with MSG had the least values of erythrocytes 5.89±0.07(x1012/L), haematocrit, 45.33±1.45%, haemoglobin, 12.44±0.33 g/dl and leucocytes, 12.44±0.33 (x109/L) while the groups given only the extract together with those given both MSG with 800 mg/kg of the extract had significantly (P<0.05) higher values of the same parameters. Thus, Mucuna sloanei seed extract (MSSE) at the dose of 800 mg/kg b.w., can ameliorate the deleterious effects of MSG on the blood cells.