Blood Cells Formative Properties of B. pinnatum in Chronic Inflammatory Disorders: An Experience with Wistar Rats

The use of medicinal plants to resolve many ailments especially inflammatory diseases is gaining global attention. Bryophyllum pinnatum(Crassulaceae) called ‘Oda-opue’ in Igbo, ‘Eru-odundun in Yoruba and ‘Abomoda’ in Hausa languages is one of the plants widely used as food and medicines in tropical Africa, America, India and China. This study investigated the effect of ethanol leaf extract of B. pinnatum on haematological parameters in Wistar rats induced with chronic inflammation. Fresh green leaves of B. pinnatum were collected from International Center for Ethno-medicine and Drug Development (InterCEDD), Nsukka, Enugu-State, Nigeria. Identification and authentication of the plant was carried and a voucher specimen was deposited at the InterCEDD herbarium. The plant material was then shredded, air-dried under shade and pulverized. The fine powders obtained was weighed and extraction was done via solvent combination of water and ethanol (3:7) for 72 hr via maceration. The filtrate gotten was evaporated to dryness to obtain the ethanol extract which was used for further bioassay study. Chronic inflammation was induced intraperitoneally using cotton pellet and hematological parameters were analyzed using mindray hematology auto analyzer. Results showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in the total white blood cell (TWBC) as well as the red blood cell, haemoglobin and packed cell volume levels in the extract treated groups compared with the control group. The findings of this study showed the reversibility of the induced and suppressive effects of chronic inflammatory disorder on blood cell progenitors. It therefore becomes possible for the adjunct use of B. pinnatum in the management of anemia in chronic inflammatory disorders.