Oral administration of Neem (Azadirachta indica a. Juss, 1886) extract and its effect on body weight and blood cells of hypertensive patients

International Conference on Cytopathology

August 31-September 02, 2015 Toronto, Canada

Chimezie Gabriel Dirisu

Federal College of Education, Nigeria

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: J Cytol Histol

Abstract :

The use of medicinal herbs is popular among trado-medical practitioners in Nigeria and the world at large. Different concentrations of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Neem (Azadiractha indica), a medicinal herb, were administered on hypertensive patients with high blood pressure and changes in body weight measured at eight weeks. Result showed a change in body weight rate ranging from 8.50 kg/ml -10.51 kg/ml with aqueous A. indica extract (AAIE) and from 10.60 kg/ml-11.61 kg/ ml for ethanoic A. indica extract (EAIE). ANOVA statistics indicates that EAIE significantly caused higher body weight change than AAIE (P<0.05). Regression analysis of extract concentration and body weight shows a linear equation of y=88.55x-1496.5. Histological examination of blood smears from treated patients shows no degenerative changes in cell morphology indicating lack of toxicity and hence A. indica is safe to be administered to patients up to a concentration of 800 mg/kg body weight. It is recommended however, that microbiologically safe standard should be applied in its extraction, storage and use to avoid contamination, which will eventually negate its potency as curative herb.

Biography :

Chimezie Gabriel Dirisu holds a BSc and MSc degree in Microbiology from University of Port Harcourt and Bayero University Kano, Nigeria respectively, and is a PhD candidate at Federal Univerity of Technology Owerri. She is a lecturer at the Department of Integrated science, Federal College of Education (Technical) Omoku, Nigeria.

Email: chimeziedirisu@yahoo.com