Haematological effects of aqueous extract of Hibiscus Sabdariffa petals in rats

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of aqueous extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa petals on some haematological parameters. The extract was administered orally in doses of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5mg/kg body weight to normal Wistar rats for 21 days. The results showed that the extract decreased significantly (p 0.05). Therefore, the results suggest that the consumption of the aqueous extract of H.sadbariffa may lead to some level of anaemia, despite its beneficial effects. Keywords: Hibiscus sabdariffa, haematological parameters, anaemia The Tropical Journal of Health Sciences Vol. 12(1) 2005: 44-4