Effect of Metronidazole on Haematological Parameters in Male Albino Rats

Metronidazole is an antibiotic which is widely used in the treatment of parasitic diseases. Several studies have reported its tumorigenic, mutagenic and antimicrobial effects, but there is a dearth of information on its effect on blood chemistry. This study was designed to investigate its effect on haematological parameters in male albino rats. Treatment of rats for 25 days with 400 mg/kg BW of metronidazole caused significant (p<0.05) increase in the packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell (RBC) and total white blood (TWBC) values relative to their respective controls, but caused no significant (p>0.05) changes in the platelet, neutrophil, lymphocyte, eosinophil and monocyte values relative to their respective controls. These findings indicate that metronidazole could have some beneficial effects on the blood chemistry of male albino rats.