Effects of Four Solanum melongena L. Varieties on some Haematological Indices and Weight of Organs in Albino Rats

Abstract

The effects of four eggplant varieties on haematological indices and weight of organs in albino rats were evaluated. A total of 108 albino rats were randomly distributed into two major blocks of treatments (10% and 20% supplenentations), each having four sub groups with 12 rats each. The sub groups were based on the eggplant variety used in supplementation. Rats in groups A, B, C and D were fed diet supplemented S. Macrocapron (round), S. atheopicum, S. Macrocapron (oval), and S. gilo respectively. A general control group labelled ‘control’ was fed with commercial rat feed. Three rats from each group were sacrificed weekly and their kidney, liver and heart weighed. The haematological indices were determined using an automated haemacytometer machine. The liver, kidney and heart weight to body weight were not significantly different (p>0.05) from the control within and between treatments. The white blood cell count of rats placed on 10% eggplant supplemented diet ranged from 4.51±0.20 x103 /µL to 5.43±0.10 x103ml/µL while rats supplemented with 20% eggplant were within 4.74±0.13 x103 /µL and 5.56±0.10 x103 /µL. There was a significant increase in the white blood cell count of rats placed on the eggplant supplementations except group C (S. macrocarpon (oval)).The red blood cell count was significantly lower in all the groups compared to the control except in rats placed on 10% S. Marcrocapon (round) supplemented diet. The result has shown that eggplant varieties significantly reduced RBC, increased the WBC count was increased with no significant change in PCV