Global estimates showed that 43% of children and 33% of non-pregnant women are anemic, with the highest incidence in Africa and South Asia. The aim of this study was to ascertain the effect of Solanum macrocarpon aqueous leaf extract on liver synthetic ability, lipid profile as well as spleen and heart histopathology in phenylhydrazine-induced anemic male Wistar rats using five groups of six rats. Group 1 was the normal control, orally given normal saline once daily. Group II was the anemic group, while Group III was non-anaemic and orally given a daily dose of 300mg/kg of Solanum macrocarpon aqueous leaf extract for 14 days. Group IV was induced with anemia and thereafter, orally treated with 300mg/kg Solanum macrocarpon aqueous leaf extract for 14 days while Group V was induced with anemia and thereafter treated with 100mg/kg Ascorbic acid orally once daily for 14 days. Groups II, IV, and V were intraperitoneally induced haemolytic anemia once daily with 50mg/kg Phenylhydrazine for three days consecutively. All rats were sacrificed on day 15. The study revealed a significant higher (p<0.05) serum total protein (6.72±1.15), albumin (3.42±0.56) and high density lipoprotein (42.20±2.02) as well as significantly lower total bilirubin (1.02±0.14); low density lipoprotein (39.10±3.07), triglycerides (90.25±3.22) and total cholesterol (76.90±3.01) in Solanum macrocarpon leaf treated rats compared to the phenylhydrazine anemic-untreated rats. Furthermore, Solanum macrocarpon leaf restored pathological changes in heart and spleen tissues near to normal. Solanum macrocarpon leaf demonstrated an anti-anemic effect and improved the impaired liver synthetic ability and altered lipid profile capability associated with Phenylhydrazine-induced anemia.
Usunomena et al. (2026) studied this question.