Acanthus montanus NEES T. ANDERSON AQUEOUS

This study examined the effect of aqueous leaf extract of Acanthus montanus on haematological indices in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Acanthus montanus is a medicinal plant commonly used for its therapeutic properties. The leaves were collected, rinsed with water, air and oven dried, pulverized and extracted using cold water maceration techniques. 25 rats were divided into five (5) groups of five (5) rats each. Groups one, two and three received 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg of the aqueous extract respectively. The fourth group recieved 45mg/kg of streptozotocin and 10mg/kg of the standard drug glibenclamide while group five recieved 45 mg/kg of streptozotocin. Treatments were administered orally, once daily for 21 days. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected for analysis. The results obtained showed that at various doses, the plant extract has the ability to improve haematological indices. Different doses of the extract showed improved and stable effects on the various parameters such as the white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. This research supports the potential use of the extract for alleviating haematological alterations associated with diabetes