Onyekachi Ewa Ibe
1 
, Godwin Christian Akuodor
2* , Micheal O. Elom
3 , Ejike F Chukwurah
1 , Chigozie Ewa Ibe
4 , Amos Nworie
1 1 Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Health Science and Technology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
2 Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Basic Clinical Science, College of Health Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi Campus, Nigeria
3 Department of Applied Biology, Faculty of Science, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
4 Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria
Abstract
Introduction: Ficus capensis has been used in traditional medicine to treat anaemia, tuberculosis, convulsion, pains, wounds, respiratory disorders, and other health challenges. This study investigated the effect of F. capensis ethanolic leaf extract in phenylhydrazine (PHZ)-induced anaemia in Wistar rats. Methods: Induction of anaemia was done by intraperitoneal administration of PHZ (40 mg/kg for 48 hours). A normal group and an anaemic group were treated daily with a single dose of 20 mL/kg of distilled water and considered as control and anaemic (non-treated) groups. Then, the remaining groups were treated with 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg of ethanol extract of F. capensis leaves for 21 days, respectively. Blood samples from the rats were run in three batches of baseline, post anaemia induction, and post-treatment. Phytochemical screening and acute toxicity tests of the extract were also carried out following standard procedures. Results: The results showed a consistent significant increase in haematological parameters among various experimental groups. Haemoglobin (Hb), red blood cell (RBC) count, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), packed cell volume (PCV), mean cell haemoglobin (MCH) and Mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) values of treated rats were significantly increased compared to the anaemic control. The secondary metabolites of leaf extract were alkaloids, saponins, tannins, steroids, flavonoids, phenols, and reducing sugar, while the acute toxicity test was found to be non-toxic at 5000 mg/kg in rats. Conclusion: The ethanol leaf extract of F. capensis might provide an alternative cure for anaemia and boosts blood count.
Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education:
Ficus capensis ethanol leaf extract significantly demonstrated high antianaemic activities. Hence, the compounds present in this plant might be considered for characterization and isolation for the possible development of new drugs against anaemic disorders.