The effect of the combination of aqueous extracts of the leaves of Telferia occidentalis and Ageratum conizoides compared with a standard hematinic, Astyfer, on some haematological indices, urea and creatinine in albino Wistar rats was studied. Thirty (30) males and females albino Wistar rats of average weight 140g were randomly selected into 5 groups of 6 animals per group. The parameters investigated included Red blood cells, (RBC), White blood cells (WBC), Haemoglobin (HGB), Haematocrit (HCT), Mean corpuscular volume (MCV), Mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), Mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), Platelets count (PLT), urea and creatinine. The results revealed a significant (P<0.01) increase in urea level in the group administered with combination of A. conyzoides and T. occidentalis as well as a significant (P<0.05) increase in the group that A. conyzoides was administered when compared to control. Also groups treated with T. Occidentalis, A. conizoides and combination of T. occidentalis and A. conizoides significantly (P<0.01) increased the RBC, HGB, HCT, while a significant (P>0.01) decrease in PLT in the groups treated with T. occidentalis and A. conizoides was observed when compared to control. When compared to standard hematinic, astyfer, groups treated with T. occidentalis showed a significant (P<0.01) increase in HGB and MCH at (P<0.05), while those treated with A. conizoides, and combination of T. occidentalis and A. conyzoides showed a significant (P>0.01) decrease in PLT. The results suggest that T. Occidentalis significantly increases haematological parameters when compared with standard hematinics. A. conyzoides also increases haematological parameters though not significantly when compared with standard hematinics while it raises urea levels in the blood which could suggest the presence of toxic phytochemicals. From the result, we can deduce that T. occidentalis is a better blood boosting vegetable than A. conyzoides.
Keywords: Ageratum conizoides, Telferia occidentalis, creatinine, haematology, urea
