Effects of Rauwolfia vomitoria on the Haematological Indices and Hippocampal Histology of Wistar Rats

Rauwoifia vomitoria (Rv) has been reported to cause neurodegeneration in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum of experimental Wistar rats. Here we report the effect of varying concentrations ofRv on the haematological indices, hippocampal histology and immunohistochemistry ofWistar rats. Twenty (20) rats randomized into four groups of five rats received 20% of tween 80 1 ml (control) and Rv 100 mg, 200 mg and 300 mg per kilogram body weight of rats respectively (treatment groups) for fourteen days via orogavage. Results show that MCV was significantly (p<0.05) increased when Rv 300 mg group was compared to control and is significantly (p<0.05) increased when group 4 is compared to the control; group 2 and group 4 is significantly (p<0.05) decreased compared to group 2 (Rv 100 mg); group 1 (control) and group 2 (Rv 100 mg) is significantly (p<0.05) increased compared to group 3 (Rv 200 mg). H&E revealed mostly increasing levels of hydropic vacuolations in the treated groups compared to control; while the immunolabeling marker for neuroinflammation and neurotoxicity showed that there was a down regulation of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression in the entire treated groups compared to the control. Our findings conclude that Rauwoifia vomitoria alters haematological parameters; increases WBC in a dose dependent concentration, increases hydropic vacuolations in the neuropil with mild neuronal shrinkage but down regulates the expression ofglial fibrillary acidic protein in the hippocampus CA 1 region ofWistar rats

Key Words: Rauwoifia vomitoria, Haematology, Hippocampal distortions, Astrogliosis