Evaluation of <i>Telfaria occidentalis</i> and sorghum bicolor extracts as potent haematinics in domestic rabbits

Abstract

A total of 20 domestic rabbits divided into 4 groups of animals per group were used in this study. Group A animals (control) were not bled but those in groups B-D were bled to induce anaemia. Group B animals were left to recover by normal haemopoesis while those in groups C and D were treated respectively with Haematopan B12 ® (a commercially prepared haematinic) and alcohol extracts of a combination of Sorghum bicolor and Telfaria occidentalis, reconstituted at concentration of 4mg/100ml of distilled water. The post-haemorrhage treatment haematologic values were obtained at given intervals (7 days) and compared with the pre-haemorrhage values earlier obtained. The study showed that the group B animals recovered gradually by physiologic haemopoesis while animals in group C and D showed accelerated recovery with group D animals having a faster and belier response in terms of packed cell volume (PCV), white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), haemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV). Thus the combination of the extracts used in the treatment of the anaemic rabbits was a potent haematinic.

Keywords: Extracts, Telfaria occidentalis, Sorghum bicolor, haematinics, domestic rabbits.