Evaluation of Short-Term Effects of Anti-Malaria Drugs on Haematology and Serum Electrolytes in Rats

Abstract

The study investigated the short-term effects of artemether-lumefantrine and chloroquine on haematology and serum electrolytes profile in albino rats. Sixty adult male albino rats, 12-13 weeks of age, weighing 156 -179 g were procured and used for this study. The rats were assigned into five groups of twelve rats per group replicated 3 times (4 rats per replicate). The groups were: 1. control group (CONTL GRP), 2. high dose artemether Lumefantrine (HD ARTEM LUMF. 4/24 mg/ml), 3. low dose artemether-lumefantrine (LD ARTEM LUMF. 2/12 mg/ml), 4. high dose chloroquine (HD CHLQN. 20 mg/ml) and 5. low dose chloroquine (LD CHLQN. 10 mg/ml)). Rats in the Control group were administered an equivalent volume of placebo (distilled water) according to body weight. Treatment was done daily and lasted for 3 days. The administration was orally using plastic syringes attached to a metal oropharyngeal cannula. Both 4/24 mg/ml and 2/12 mg/ml doses of artemether-lumefantrine showed a non-significant effect (p > 0.05) in WBC, Neu, Lym, Mon, Eos, Bas, RBC, HGB, HCT, MCV, MCH, MCHC, RDW-CV, RDW-SD, PLT, MPV, and PDW except in PCT where low (2/12 mg/ml) dose caused a significant increase (p < 0.05) compared with the control. Artemether-lumefantrine and chloroquine had similar effects on K, Na, Cl, iCa, TiCa, TCa, pH, TCO2, and AG. Both high (4/24 mg/ml) and low (2/12 mg/ml) doses of artemether-lumefantrine showed no significant effect (p > 0.05) on K, Na, Cl, iCa, TiCa, TCa, pH, TCO2, and AG but Cl showed a significant increase (p<0.05) compared with the control. Chloroquine doses (20 mg/ml & 10 mg/ml) had similar effects except on Cl where the high dose (20 mg/ml) caused a significant increase (p<0.05) as compared with the control. However, the significant increase in Cl could depict dehydration.