BIOKEMISTRI 17(1):45-50 (June 2005) An international journal published by the Available online at http://www.bioline.org.br/bk.

Abstracted online at www.ajol.info/journals/biokem N ig erian S oc iety for E x perim ental B iolog y Printed in Nigeria

Effect of ethanolic extract of Bougainvillea spectabilis on haematological and serum lipid variables in rats

Joseph O. ADEBAYO*, Ayoade A. ADESOKAN, Lawrence A. OLATUNJI, Daniel O. BUORO and Ayodele O. SOLADOYE

Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

Received 8 April 2005

MS/No BKM/2005/018, © 2005 Nigerian Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved.

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Abstract

The effect of ethanolic extract of Bougainvillea spectabilis leaves on some haematological and serum lipid parameters in rats during a seven day administration of the doses of 50,100 and 200mg/kg body weight orally was investigated. The parameters evaluated include serum lipids, red and white blood cell indices. The results show that the extract administered significantly reduced (P<0.05) packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration and red blood cell count at the dose of 200mg /kg body weight when compared with controls while other doses administered had no significant effect (P<0.05) on these parameters. Also, the extract significantly reduced (P<0.05) white blood cell count at all doses administered when compared with control. However, the extract had no significant effect (P>0.05) on MCH, MCHC, MCV and platelet count when compared with controls. Moreover, the extract significantly reduced (P<0.05) total cholesterol concentration in the serum while it had no significant effect (P>0.05) on serum HDL-cholesterol concentration at all doses administered when compared with controls. However, the extract significantly increased (P<0.05) serum triacylglycerol concentration at the dose of 50mg/kg body weight while other doses administered had no significant effect (P>0.05) on serum triacylglycerol concentration. The results of this study suggest that the extract may have beneficial effect on serum cholesterol concentration reduction, although it possibly possesses the potential of adversely affecting haematological indices.

Key words: Bougainvillea spectabilis, haematological parameters, serum lipids ------*Author to whom all correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: [email protected]; Tel: +234-8033844398

45 according to the method of Majekodunni et al..14 INTRODUCTION A homogenous aqueous suspension of the extract was made before being administered to Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is the the experimental animals. commonest endocrine disorder that affects over Animal handling and administration of the 1 100 million people worldwide. The extract conventional treatment for DM is oral Male albino rats (Rattus novergicus), 2 hypoglycemic agent/insulin therapy. However, weighing 150 ± 30g, obtained from the Animal a lot of herbs are now being used in the Holding Unit of the Department of management of DM, although the active Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara 3-5 principles some of them have been isolated. state, Nigeria, were used for the study. They One of such herbs is Bougainvillea spectabilis. were maintained in standard conditions of B. spectabilis belongs to the family temperature, relative humidity and light/night . It is a climbing cycles. They were fed with normal rat chow and with thin wooden stem. Parts of the which water ad libitum. The animals were divided into have been used for medicinal purposes are the two main groups: Group I for serum lipid 6 leaves and . The alcoholic extract of the parameters and Group II for haematological has been reported to possess hypoglycemic parameters. They were treated orally for seven effect and has been used for the management of days as follows: 7-8 DM. The hypoglycemic principle of the leaf 1. Group I (consisting of four groups made up 9 extract has been isolated and named pinitol. of five rats each): Despite the isolation of the hypoglycemic Group A1 received 10ml/kg body weight of principle, the crude extract is still being used for distilled water. the management of DM in some local settings Group B1 received 50mg/kg weight of B. today. spectabilis extract. Ingestion of some plant materials (either Group C1 received 100mg/kg weight of B. in the raw form or their extracts) has been spectabilis extract. reported to cause anaemia, which may result Group D1 received 200mg/kg weight of B. from sequestration of red blood cell in the spectabilis extract. spleen, impaired red blood cell production or 2. Group II (consisting of four groups made up 10-11 primary bone marrow dysfunction. Also, a of four rats each): number of dietary factors have been reported to Group A2 received 10ml/kg body weight of alter serum lipid profile which in turn has distilled water. significant effect on initiation and progression of Group B2 received 50mg/kg weight of B. 12 cardiovascular disease. In this study, we have spectabilis extract. sought to verify the effect of the administration Group C2 received 100mg/kg weight of B. of ethanolic extract of B. spectabilis leaves on spectabilis extract. some haematological parameters which could Group D2 received 200mg/kg weight of B. serve as indices of anaemia and bone marrow spectabilis extract function. Also the effect of administration of the extract on serum lipid profile was considered. Determination of haematological and serum lipid parameters MATERIALS AND METHODS At the end of the experiment period, the rats in Group I were sacrificed and venous blood Plant extract preparation was collected into sample bottles containing no B. spectabilis leaves collected from trees anticoagulant as earlier reported. 13 The blood within Bida town, Niger state, Nigeria, were air samples were allowed to clot and the serum was dried annd milled into powder, which was obtained by centrifuging at 3000rpm for percolated in absolute ethanol as earlier 5minutes. 15 The clear serum was removed by 13 reported. The percolated mixture was then pipetting and the serum lipid variables were then filtered and evaporated at room temperature determined. The total cholesterol concentration 46 in the serum was estimated by the method of The extract significantly reduced (P<0.05) Fredrick et al.16 while serum HDL – cholesterol serum total cholesterol concentration while it concentration was determined by the method of had no significant effect (P>0.05) on serum Albers et al. 17 The serum triacylglycerol HDL-cholesterol concentration at all doses concentration was estimated by the method of administered when compared with controls. Jacobs et al. 18 However, the extract significantly increased Also, rats in Group II were sacrificed at (P<0.05) serum triacylglycerol concentration at the end of the seven-day experimental period the dose of 50mg/kg body weight while other and venous blood was collected into EDTA- doses of the extract administered did not containing sample bottles as earlier reported. 19 significantly alter (P>0.05) it when compared The haematological parameters of the blood with control. samples were then estimated using an High blood cholesterol concentration is Automated Haematological Analyzer, SYSMEX one of the important risk factors for – KX21 (supplied by SYSMEX Corporation,, cardiovascular disease.21-22 Thus the reduction in Japan). The haemoglobin concentration (Hb), serum total cholesterol concentration effected by packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell count the extract is beneficial and may reduce the risk (RBC), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), of cardiovascular disease because agents that mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration have the ability to lower cholesterol (MCHC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), concentration in the blood have been reported to white blood cell count (WBC), and platelet reduce vascular resistance by improving count (PLC) were thus determined. endothelial function. 23-24 The decrease in serum Statistical analysis total cholestrol concentration is not as a result of Data are presented as mean ± SD. Data were decrease in serum HDL-cholesterol analysed using the Duncan Multiple Range test concentration because the extract, at all doses and differences at P< 0.05 were considered administered, had no significant effect (P>0.05) significant. 20 on serum HDL-cholesterol concentration. It thus imlpy that reduction in other fractions of serum total cholesterol concentration other than HDL- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION cholesterol may be responsible for the reduction The effect of the oral administration of of serum total cholesterol concentration ethanolic extract of B. spectabilis leaves on observed. This is still beneficial. some serum lipid indices is presented in Table 1.

Table 1: Effect of ethanolic extract of B. spectabilis leaves on some serum lipid parameters in rats Lipid Parameters Control 50mg/Kg b.w. 100mg/Kg b.w. 200mg/Kg b.w. Triacylglycerol concentration 0.91 ± 0.12 a 1.18 ± 0.05 b 0.99 ± 0.11 a,b 1.13 ± 0.10 a,b (mmol/L) Total cholesterol concentration 2.32 ± 0.01 a 2.03 ± 0.08 b 2.12 ± 0.10 b 2.04 ± 0.06 b (mmol/L) HDL - cholesterol concentration 0.85 ± 0.11 a 0.86 ± 0.11 a 0.95 ± 0.15 a 0.98 ± 0.08 a (mmol/L) Values are mean ± SD. Values with different superscripts across the row are significantly different at P<0.05. b.w. = body weight.

47 Table 2: Effect of ethanolic extract of B. spectabilis leaves on somehaematological parameters in rats

Lipid Parameters Control 50mg/Kg b.w. 100mg/Kg b.w. 200mg/Kg b.w.

Hb (g/dl) 13.60 ± 0.30 a 12.33 ± 1.05 a 12.48 ± 0.76 a 10.68 ± 1.48 b

RBC (x 1012/L) 7.05 ± 0.24 a 6.35 ± 0.44 a,b 6.96 ± 0.14 a,b 6.20 ± 0.40 b

PCV (%) 42.50 ± 1.29 a 39.50 ± 3.00 a,b 39.50 ± 3.00 a,b 37.75 ± 1.71 b

MCH (pg) 19.60 ± 0.55 a 19.20 ± 0.45 a 18.80 ± 0.45 a 18.80 ± 0.45 a

MCHC (g/dl) 32.40 ± 0.55 a 32.60 ± 0.55 a 32.20 ± 0.45 a 32.80 ± 0.45 a

MCV (fl) 60.40 ± 4.04 a 58.40 ± 1.14 a 57.00 ± 1.41 a 56.60 ± 1.52 a

WBC (x 109/L) 11.80 ± 2.44 a 8.43 ± 0.63 b 8.98 ± 1.32 b 8.95 ± 0.61 b

PLC (x 109/L) 401.75 ± 446.50 ± 160.28 a 518.50 ± 112.67 a 559.25 ± 91.37 a 27.02 a Values are mean ± SD. Values with different superscripts across the row are significantly different at P<0.05. b.w. = body weight.

As observed in Table 2, the extract observed in this study suggests anaemia which significantly reduced (P<0.05) Hb, RBC and may result from impaired red blood cell PCV only at dose of 200mg/kg body weight, production. 11,25 while other doses had no significant effect The extract significantly reduced (P>0.05) when compared with controls. (P<0.05) WBC at all doses administered when However, MCH, MCHC and MCV were not compared with control (Table 2). This suggests significantly altered (P>0.05) by the extract at that the extract may contain some bioactive all doses administered when compared with agents that could cause destruction or impaired controls. Since MCHC, MCH and MCV relate production of white blood cells. It has been to individual red blood cells while Hb, RBC and reported that granulocyte-macrophage colony PCV relate to the total population of red blood stimulating factor, macrophage colony cells in the blood, it thus imply that the extract stimulating factor, interleukins IL-2,IL-4 and IL- may neither affect the incorporation of 5 regulate the proliferation, differentiation, and haemoglobin into red blood cells nor the maturation of committed stem cells responsible morphology and osmostic fragility of red blood for the production of white blood cells. 26-27 It cells produced. However, the reduction in Hb, may be that some components of the extract RBC and PCV implies that the extract may reduced the production of these regulatory reduce the population of red blood cells factors or interfered with the sensitivity of the produced from the bone marrow. Since MCH, committed stem cells (responsible for the MCHC and MCV were not affected, the extract production of white blood cells) to these factors. may not affect the oxygen – carrying capacity of Thus administration of the extract may each red blood cell but may reduce the oxygen- predispose to infection. The extract did not carrying capacity of the whole blood because of significantly alter (P>0.05) the platelet count at the reduced population of red blood cells in the all doses administered when compared with blood.19 Reduction in Hb, RBC and PCV control (Table 2). The reduction of WBC at all

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