Asian Hematology Research Journal

Increasing consumption of traditional medicinal plants to manage medical conditions in recent times is driven by the belief that herbal products are generally safe and efficient. This has been proven wrong as several patients have come down with side effects of some of these herbs in the course of, or after their use. Desmodium adscendens is one of these herbs notably used to manage medical conditions. The current study aimed at determining the haematological response to the use of this herb in low, median and high doses, with the aim to generate data (evidence) as per safety profile (ADR) and the use of Desmodium adscendens in humans. The study which was carried out using 24 Wistar rats lasted for one month. Low, median and high doses of aqueous leave extract of the herb were administered on three groups of rats (n=6). And the responses in these groups were compared to one another and also to a control group. Desmodium adscendens did not have any significant effect on Red blood cell (RBC) count, Haematocrit (PCV), Haemoglobin (Hb) concentration, Mean corpuscular volume (MCV), Mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), Mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), White blood cell (WBC) count; (Total WBC count, Differential WBC), Platelet count, Platelet indices (PDW, MPV, P-LCR, Plateletcrit). However, the extract caused a significant decrease in the Red-cell Distribution Width (RDW). The leaf extract of D. adscendens also significantly reduced total protein and globulin concentrations in the blood plasma, but caused a significant (p < 0.05) increase in plasma albumin concentration. Desmodium adscendens did not cause significant effect on RBC, WBC and PLT indices. Its use in treatment and management of disease conditions is therefore not likely to have any adverse effect on the body’s blood parameters.