Effect Of Dialium Guineense On Iron And Haematological Profiles Using Rat Models

ABSTRACT Background: Iron deficiency anaemia is a consequence of suboptimal dietary iron intake or inefficient dietary iron absorption. Dialium guineense also known as black velvet tamarind (BVT) has a rich combination of both iron as well as vitamin C, coupled with low levels of antinutrients. Traditionally, the fruit pulp of BVT is used to treat iron deficiency anaemia in certain parts of the Ghana. The efficacy and effectiveness of these interventions however need a wider exploration. Aim: To determine the effect of Dialium guineense pulp on iron and haematological profile levels of rats. Methods: A total of twenty SD rats were weight-matched into 4 groups of 5 rats each (Groups 1- 4). Group 1 was fed on a normal diet and groups 2 - 3 fed on BVT fruit pulp in the form of fruit juice extract with different concentrations for 90 days. The rats in group 2 (low dose) were fed with 2.5 g of BVT fruit juice, with 5 g and 10 g of BVT juice for group 3 (medium dose) and group 4 (high dose) respectively. The doses of BVT were administered orally to the SD rats via gavage. Blood samples from the animals were collected by cardiac puncture at the end of the experiment. Serum iron profile (serum iron, total iron binding capacity- TIBC, percentage saturation) was performed. Additionally, haematological profile (red blood cell (RBC), haemoglobin (HB), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), white blood cell (WBC), and white blood cell differentials (neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils) were assayed using an automated haematological analyser at the end of the 90-day period.