Telfairia occidentalis Hook.f. - associated haematopoietic effect is mediated by cytokines but independent of testosterone: A preliminary report

Publication date: 24 April 2018
Source:Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Volume 216
Author(s): Toyin Mohammed Salman, Isiaka Abdullateef Alagbonsi, Abdul-Rahuf Aderemi Feyitimi, Peter O. Ajayi
Ethnopharmacological relevanceTelfairia occidentalis Hook.f. (TO) is popular in Nigeria for the ethnopharmacological use of its leaves to improve haematological parameters in normal and anaemic subjects. Cytokines are well-known to regulate haematopoiesis. However, their involvement in TO-associated haematopoietic effect is not known and necessitated this study.Materials and methodsTwenty-five (25) male rats were randomly divided into 3 oral treatment groups as follows: Group 1 (control, n=5) received 0.2 ml/kg normal saline for 14 days. Groups 2 and 3 (n= 10 each) were subdivided into 2 (n=5) and received 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg of aqueous extract of TO respectively for 7 or 14 days.ResultsTO had dose- and duration-dependent effects on the estimated parameters. Both doses of TO increased the RBC, WBC and erythropoietin concentrations at 14 but not 7 days. Moreover, its 100 mg/kg increased haemoglobin, neutrophil, and interleukin-3 concentrations at 7 days, while 200 mg/kg increased PCV and neutrophils at 14 days, lymphocytes at 7 days, and haemoglobin at both durations.ConclusionThe haematopoietic effect of TO might be partly mediated by cytokines (interleukin-3 and erythropoietin) but independent of testosterone.

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