Effect of Feeding Aqueous Extracts Of Sargassum Crassifolium and Ulva Fasciata on Biochemical and Hematological Parameters of Laboratory Mice

Abstract

The consumption of seaweeds has increased over the recent past However, certain effects of seaweeds are yet to be investigated. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the safety and the effects of feeding aqueous extracts of Sargassum crassifolium and Ulva fasciata, on some selected haematological parameters including differential blood count, packed cell volume (PCV), concentrations of total serum protein, serum aspartate transaminase (AST) and serum alanine transaminase (ALT) in laboratory mice. Two groups of six mice were orally administered with aqueous extracts of the two seaweed species, separately. A dose of 454.5mg/kg body weight was given once a day for 9 days and observed up to 12 days. A control group (n=5) was also maintained without treatment. Both extracts did not show any toxic effects in an acute toxicity test There was a significant increase (p<0.05) in the neutrophil count in mice 12 days after commencing treatment with aqueous extracts of Ulva fasciata (n=5, 31.55% ± 4.1%) compared with the control (n=5,19.0% ± 3.4%). However, the consequent decrease in the monocytes and lymphocytes with the Ulval extract was not significant (p>0.05) 12 days post-treatment. There was no significant (p>0.05) change in the total serum protein concentration, at the end of the study period. Serum concentrations of AST and ALT did not show significant changes (p>0.05) after feeding the extracts of Ulva fasciata and Sargassum crassifolium. In conclusion, aqueous extracts of Sargassum crassifolium and Ulva fasciata did not exhibit any toxicity in laboratory mice, in vivo, at the dose tested.