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ABSTRACT
Medicinal herbs are recognized for their therapeutic benefits, safety, accessibility and affordability. Jatropha tanjorensis, also known as Catholic vegetable or ‘Hospital too far’ as it is fondly called, is an herbal plant of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge family) native to India, Southeast Asia and the southern regions of Nigeria. The plant is used in folk medicine for different purposes. This study examined the immunoprotective efficacy of Jatropha tanjorensis on hematological parameters in Wistar rats using a methanolic extract obtained through maceration. A total of Thirty (30) male and female Wistar rats weighing 150-250grams were used for the research. The rats were divided into five groups of six rats in each group. Group 1, 2 and 3 served as treatment groups and were administered 7 ml of the leaf extract of Jatropha tanjorensis daily for 14 days. The Normal control (positive control) received 1 ml distilled water only. Group 5 which was the negative control received 0.1ml of sheep blood only via intraperitoneal route. The rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and blood collected by cardiac puncture. 2mls of the blood was placed into an EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) bottle to prevent blood coagulation prior to the determination of hematological parameters using a human automated hematology analyzer. The results obtained from this research showed that the methanolic leaf extract of Jatropha tanjorensis significantly modulated hematological indices including white blood cell count, red blood cell count, hemoglobin levels and mean corpuscular volume, when compared with the control. There were no significant changes in hematocrit count, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration in all treated groups compared with the control. The results showed that at appropriate doses, the methanolic leaf extract of the plant may enhance the production of blood cells in the body (Hemopoiesis). Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of bioactive compounds like tannins, alkaloids, phenolics among others while mineral and proximate analysis indicated a rich composition of essential nutrients. These findings suggest that Jatropha tanjorensis enhances immune defense, warranting further investigation into its potential as a therapeutic agent.
