Author(s):

Odoh Uchenna Estella and Nwadimkpa Amarachukwu Loveth

Abstract: The present study was carried out to evaluate the oxytocic and haematological effects of the methanol extract of root bark of Spondias mombin Linn (Anacardiaceae) using female and male albino rats respectively. The oxytocic effect was done using isolated tissue experiment (pregnant and stilbesterol pretreated non pregnant model). The hematological study was done using whole animal experiment. The weights of the animals were determined and the blood samples collected through periorbital puncture. These were done on weekly basis for three weeks. Hematological indices of the collected blood were determined. The results of the study showed that the methanol extract of Spondias mombin root bark contracted the uterine horns of both the stilbesterol pretreated non-pregnant and pregnant rats just like Oxytocin and Acetylcholine. And the uterine contractility was dose dependent. Also there was a significant increase in the Red blood cells count, haemoglobin level and haematocrit level, at p< 0.05 of the groups that received the highest dose of the methanol extract when compared with the control. While there was a significant decrease in the white blood cell and neutrophil counts in the groups that received the extract on day 7 and the group that received the highest dose of the extract on days 14 and 21. The case is vice versa with lymphocytes. The preliminary phytochemical analysis result showed that methanol extract of root bark of Spondias mombin contained carbohydrates, reducing sugar, alkaloids, glycosides, Saponins, tannins, flavonoids, resins, proteins, steroids, oil and terpenoids. In conclusion, the results suggest that the root bark of this plant has oxytocic and hematological effect.

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