Blood Parameters and Liver Enzymes Levels As Index of Metabolic Changes in Response to Citrus Aurantifolia

The effects of extract of Citrus aurantifolia on some blood and liver parameters were examined.Graded doses (20,40,60,80 and 100 mg/kg) of extracts were administered daily by stomach intubation to rats for 14 days and the effects on body weight, liver enzymes and some blood parameters were evaluated.The results showed significant decreases in alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) when compared to the control group.Urea level also decreased significantly when compared with the control.The ALT (mMol/l) values had a range of 0.4 ± 0.1 to 5.1± 0.1 for the test groups, and 0.9± 0.9 as the control value.The AST (mMol/l) values had a range of 0.1 ± 0.28 to 0.2 ± 0.05 for the test groups, and 0.6±0.09as the control value.The ALP mMol/l values had a range of 0.7 ± 0.13 to 1.1 ± 0.05 for the test groups, and 1.5±0.02as the control value.Creantinine values had a range from 74.45 ± 21.07 to 262.65 ± 26.65 for the test groups, and a value of 78.0 ± 33.00 for the control group.The results show that the extract had no significant effects (p= 0.05) on liver enzymes and the blood parameters considered.There was a significant decrease in platelet counts and slight increases in packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin, white and red blood cells.Platelet counts (×10 9 /l) values ranged between 153.5 ± 1.50 and 275.0 ± 25.00 for the test groups and 275.0 ± 25.00 for the control group.PCV (%) values ranged from 38.0 ± 8.0 to 45.5±0.5 for the test groups, and 41.0 ± 0.00 as the control group value.Haemoglobin (mg/dl) values ranged between 12.5 ± 5.0 and 15.2 ± 0.17 for the test groups and, 13.6 ± 0.00 as the control.WBC (×10 9 /l) values ranges between 5.4 ± 1.2 and 6.85 ± 0.9 for the test groups and 5.3 ± 0.5 as the control.RBC (×10 9 /l) values also had a range of 5.15 ± 0.1 to 6.40 ± 0.1 for the test groups and 5.15 ± 0.2 for the control.These results suggests that the extract was not likely to produce toxic effects on the body system when given at normal therapeutic doses for a short -term, as evident in the liver enzymes levels and some blood parameters.