Anti-anaemic activity of some plants in Cucurbitaceae on phenylhydrazine-induced anaemic rats

The present study was focused to evaluate the anti-anaemic activity of Mukia maderaspatana (MM) and Kedrostis foetidissima (KF) of Cucurbitaceae family. Anaemia was induced by administration of phenylhydrazine in the dose of 10 mg/kg for 8 days. The rats with haemoglobin content less than 14 mg/dl were selected for the study. Then animals were divided into 7 groups of 6 animals each. Both extracts were given in the doses of 150 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg orally for 4 days. Blood samples were collected from the animals by sinus puncture on 1, 2, 3 and 4th week of the treatment. Blood samples were subjected to the estimation of red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC) and haemoglobin (Hb). Both the doses of MM and KF extracts significantly (P < 0.01) enhanced the RBC content from the initial week of treatment to 4th week of treatment when compared to that of standard drug (Vitamin B12). There was no significant change in the WBC content after the treatment of MM extract. But there was less significant (P < 0.05) decrease in WBC in Vitamin B12 and KF extract treated groups.