Haematological and Biochemical Changes Associated with Treatment of Experimentally-Induced Hypertensive Wistar Rats with Lagenaria breviflora Roberty Fruit or Xanthosoma sagittifolium Exell Corm

Aim: The toxicity profile of management of hypertension in Wistar rats with the methanol extracts of the whole fruit of Lagenaria breviflora Roberty or corms of Xanthosoma sagittifolium was assessed in this study.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at the Animal House of the Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, between November, 2016 and January, 2017.

Methodology: Forty male Wistar rats were divided into 8 groups (n=5). Group 1 served as the control and was administered with distilled water. Hypertension was induced in groups 2-8 by intraperitoneal administration of DOCA-salt twice weekly and daily inclusion of 1% sodium chloride in drinking water. Group 2 (hypertensive but untreated), groups 3 and 4 (lisinopril or hydrochlorothiazide), groups 5 and 6 (L. breviflora at doses of 100 or 200 mg/kg), and groups 7 and 8 (X. sagittifolium at doses of 100 or 200 mg/kg). Urine samples (over 24 hours) and blood samples were collected for urinalysis, hematology and serum biochemistry respectively.

Results: Management of hypertension with the extracts of L. breviflora or X. sagittifolium showed that the extracts did not further progress the haematological and metabolic derangement associated with hypertension. L. breviflora showed non-significant haematopoietic and immunomodulatory effects, while the extract of X. sagittifolium reversed renal damage caused by hypertension. Both extracts showed potent hypocholesterolemic effects and the atherogenic index of plasma of rats treated with the extracts also improved, indicating reduction of risks of development of coronary arterial disease or heart disease (CAD or CHD).

Conclusion: Management of hypertension with fruit of Lagenaria breviflora or corm of Xanthosoma sagittifolium is safe and the haematological and metabolic derangement associated with hypertension will not further deteriorate but will rather improve.