Effects of different extracts of Azanza garckeana fruit pulp on haematological and biochemical parameters of New Zealand White (NZW) rabbit bucks

Haematological and biochemical parameters are used to determine the extent of deleterious effects of xenobiotics, including plant extracts, on animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different extracts of Azanza garckeana (AG) fruit pulp on haematological and serum biochemical parameters in rabbit bucks. Eighteen (18) New Zealand White rabbit bucks with average live weight of 1.2 kg and aged 8–16 months were fed ad libitum on a commercial isocaloric and isonitrogeneous diet. They were administered different extracts of AG at a dose of 500 mg/kg weight via oral gavage. The extracts comprised of (a) crude (AG Cr), (b) methanol (AG M), (c) n-hexane (AG H), (d) ethyl acetate (AG E), (e) aqueous (AG Aq) and (f) control group. The extracts induced live body weight gain with the exception of AG H group. The AG M extract had the highest values of body weight, red cell count and haemoglobin concentration, while the control group had significantly ( P ≤ 0.05) higher values of packed cell volume, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and cholesterol concentration. The bucks administered AG Cr extract had increase (P ≤ 0.05) platelet count, lymphocytes count, alanine phosphatase activity and urea concentration. The bucks administered AG Aq extract had significant ( P ≤ 0.05) higher total white blood cell and triglyceride concentrations. The administration of AG E extract increased levels of creatinine, high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein concentrations. The bucks administered AG H extract of AG fruit pulp had higher aspartate transaminase activity. The results demonstrated that extracts of AG fruit pulp had varied impact on the haematological and biochemical values of rabbit bucks, with AG M considered the safest.