摘要：This study evaluated effectiveness of fresh and shade-dried Mucuna pruriens leaf extract in managing anaemia in adult male albino rats. Fresh leaves of Mucuna pruriens were harvested from Enugu-Ezike, Enugu state, Nigeria. The leaves were used to prepare fresh and shade-dried leaf extracts which were subjected to chemical analysis using standard analytical methods. Fifteen adult male albino rats weighing 180-250g, grouped into three groups (A, B and C) of five rats each were used for the study. All groups received rat chow and water ad-libitum . Group B and C received in addition, the fresh and shade-dried Mucuna pruriens leaf extracts respectively after anaemia induction. Blood samples were collected from the rats for determination of haemoglobin, PCV, RBC and WBC after a 5-day acclimatization, after anaemia induction and at the end of the study. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for windows version 18 was used to analyze the data obtained. p<0.05 was accepted as a cut-off for significant level. Fresh and shade-dried Mucuna pruriens leaf extracts contained iron (9.00±0.28 and 3.50±0.00 mg/100 mL), vitamin C (18.45±2.19 and 31.35±0.35 mg/100 mL) and pro-vitamin A (100.21±0.28 and 170.21±0.28 mg/100 mL). Haemoglobin, packed cell volume and white blood cell of rats fed fresh Mucuna pruriens leaf extract significantly (p<0.05) increased after treatment. Shade-dried Mucuna pruriens leaf extract significantly (p<0.05) increased red blood cell and white blood cell of the rats after treatment. Lymphocytes of the anaemic rats fed fresh and shade-dried Mucuna pruriens leaf extracts was significantly (p<0.05) increased whereas there was no significant (p>0.05) increase in the eosinophils of the anaemic rats.
