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Effects of Differently Processed Cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) Inflorescence on Hematological and Histopathological Parameters of Albino Rats

Kalu Emmanue Okechukwu, Ani Jane and Nweke Chijioke Joel

Effects of differently processed cocoyam inflorescence on hematological and histopathological parameters of albino rats were investigated. Cocoyam inflorescence was processed by blanching (water), soaking at 100°C (20 min), boiling (10 min) and drying (sun drying). Unprocessed (fresh) samples served as the control. The experiment included six groups of animals. Rats fed graded doses (100 mg/kg) of fresh, boiled, soaked and unblanched cocoyam inflorescence had significant (p<0.05) reduction in packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell (RBC) and white blood cell (WBC) count. Rats fed boiled and blanched samples had significant (p<0.05) reduction in hemoglobin content by 14.4% and 29% while rats fed soaked, unblanched and fresh samples showed significant (p<0.05) increase in hemoglobin content from 9.67 in normal controlled rat to 10.07, 10.32 and 16.9 1g/dl respectively at 100 mg/kg dose. The relative liver and kidney weights of rats fed fresh, soaked, blanched and unblanched cocoyam inflorescence were significantly (p<0.05) higher than the relative liver and kidney weights of normal controlled rat while rat fed boiled sample showed no significant (p>0.05) difference in relative liver and kidney weights of the normal controlled rats. Light microscopic examination of liver and kidneys in controlled rats showed normal histological structure when compared to those of rats fed processed samples. The study has clearly demonstrated that boiling (10 min) and sun drying of cocoyam inflorescence are capable of improving hematological and histopathological parameters of rat.