Effect of Aqueous Extract of Fig (Ficus carica) Fruit on Some Hematological Parameters in Female Rabbits

Abstract

The effect of the aqueous extract of fig (Ficus carica) fruit was studied by using different concentrations of this fruit (15, 20 and 25 mg/kg of body weight) on some hematological parameters (hemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, white blood cell count and platelets count) in female rabbits.
Twenty female rabbits were randomly divided into four groups (five animals in each group). Three groups were dosed with the concentrations mentioned above, while the last was administered with distilled water and considered as control group. These animals were orally dosed by aqueous extract using a micropipette.
The results showed that there was a significant (P<0.05) increase in hemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume means for all groups treated with aqueous extract of fig fruit compared with the control animals. In addition, there was a significant (P<0.05) increase in white blood cells count at levels of 20 and 25 mg/kg of body weight compared with the control group while there was no significant difference between 15 mg/kg group and control group. Concerning the platelets count, the results showed that there was a significant (P<0.05) increase at level of 25 mg/kg compared with the control group while there was no significant difference at both levels of 20 and 15 mg/kg as compared with control group.
It was concluded from this study that the effect of aqueous fig extract in hemostasis and improving blood parameters in female rabbits.

Full text

Effect of aqueous extract of fig (Ficus carica) fruit on some
hematological parameters in female rabbits
Suha Abdul-khaliq Al-Jowari
Sabah Abdul-Ridha Al-Obaidi
Waleed Hameed Yousif *
Department of Biology/ College of Science for Women/ University of Baghdad.
*Institute of Embryo Research and Infertility Treatment / Al-Nahrain University
Abstract
The effect of the aqueous extract of fig (Ficus carica) fruit was studied by
using different concentrations of this fruit (15, 20 and 25 mg/kg of body weight) on
some hematological parameters (hemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume,
white blood cell count and platelets count) in female rabbits.
Twenty female rabbits were randomly divided into four groups (five animals
in each group). Three groups were dosed with the concentrations mentioned above,
while the last was administered with distilled water and considered as control group.
These animals were orally dosed by aqueous extract using a micropipette.
The results showed that there was a significant (P<0.05) increase in
hemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume means for all groups treated with
aqueous extract of fig fruit compared with the control animals. In addition, there was
a significant (P<0.05) increase in white blood cells count at levels of 20 and 25 mg/kg
of body weight compared with the control group while there was no significant
difference between 15 mg/kg group and control group. Concerning the platelets count,
the results showed that there was a significant (P<0.05) increase at level of 25 mg/kg
compared with the control group while there was no significant difference at both
levels of 20 and 15 mg/kg as compared with control group.
It was concluded from this study that the effect of aqueous fig extract in
hemostasis and improving blood parameters in female rabbits.
Key words: fig, Ficus carica, hemoglobin, packed cell volume, white blood cells,
platelets

Introduction
Fruit and vegetable consumption have been shown by wide epidemiological
studies to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease and stroke
(1). In addition, there is an inverse relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and
blood pressure. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables has recently been found favorably
to affect serum antioxidant capacity and protect against lipid peroxidation (1).
Among these fruits, the cultivated fig, Ficus carica L., which is distributed in
the tropics and subtropicsclearly of greatest importance as a source of human
food. Fig contains high amounts of carbohydrates and rich in many mineral elements
such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium and potassium. It also contains phenol
antioxidants (flavonoids, monophenols and polyphenols) which are at least partly
responsible for its beneficial effects on heart disease and cancer (1, 2).
In addition, fig has many medicinal uses, for example; it is used in
inflammations and paralysis (1). It is also claimed to be useful for liver and spleen
disorders, to cure piles and in treatment of gout. Locally the leaves are being used in
the treatment of jaundice and taken as a remedy for diabetes and calcifications in the
kidney and liver (3).
Recently the extract of Ficus carica was tested for hepatoprotective in rats
treated with rifampicin (hepatotoxic agent) and this appears to support traditional use
of the medicinal plant in the treatment of liver diseases (4). Therefore, the purpose of
this work was to study the effect of aqueous extract of fig fruit on some of the
hematological aspects (hemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, total white
blood cells count and platelet count) in female rabbits.
Materials and methods
Preparation of extract
Fig, Ficus carica fruits were washed, cut into small pieces, dried in oven at 40°
C. (the fig pieces were dried at this temperature in order to conserve the active
materials in fig) and ground. The powder was mixed with five fold of distilled water.
Then, the mixture was put in the reflex at 100° C temperature. for three hours. After
that, the extract was filtered and put in the rotary evaporator to concentrate the fluid.

Then, the crude extract was further dried in oven at 45° C (5). After drying, the crude
extract was collected and stored at -20° C until used (6).
Experimental animals
Twenty female local rabbits with an average age of about 3-3.5 months and
weight between 1150 – 1600 gm were used. They were bred in special cages in Al-
Nahrain University Research Center for Biotechnology, fed standard diet and given
tap water ad libitum during the experimental period. Concerning conditions of the
laboratory, average temperature was about 22 ± 1° C. and the light cycle was divided
into 12 hours light: 12 hours dark (7).
Doses and design of the experiment
Female rabbits were orally dosed by aqueous extract by micropipette. The
powder was mixed with distilled water to prepare the different doses of extract. The
volume of administrated dose was 1ml/ day for 30 days. These doses were determined
through the amount of effective dose for human. The effective dose was 700 mg/ kg
of body weight for fig extract (Al-Taee,200 ). Therefore, it was selected the
concentrations 15, 20 and 25 mg/ kg of body weight.
The animals were randomly divided into four groups (five animals in each
group). The first, second and third groups were dosed with 15, 20 and 25 mg/kg of
body weight, respectively, while the last group was considered as a control and daily
administrated with 1 ml distilled water.
Collection of blood sample
After the period of dosing was elapsed (30 days), blood was collected by heart
puncture. The volume of collected blood was approximately 2 ml and was collected in
tubes containing K2EDTA to estimate the values of hemoglobin concentration, packed
cell volume, total white blood cells count and platelets count (8, 3). After blood
collection in K2EDTA tubes, it was slowly expressed into the vial to reduce the risk of
hemolysis after removing of the needles from syringes (9).
Hematological parameters
Packed cell volume (PCV) or hematocrit

Immediately after collection the blood, PCV was determined by the
microhematocrit method using hematocrit capillary tubes and microhematocrit
centrifuge (8, 9).
Hemoglobin concentration (Hb)
Hemoglobin concentration was determined using kit (Crescent Diagnostics,
Saudi Arabia) which depends on the cyanmethaemoglobin method (9).
Total white blood cells count
To do this, a hemocytometer and the white cell counting pipette that dilutes the
cells 20 times were used. The blood was diluted with the white blood cells diluting
fluid (9, 10).
Platelet count
The platelet count was performed using red cells counting pipette and
hemocytometer. The blood was diluted with Rees-Eker solution (9).
Statistical analysis
The results were analyzed statistically using analysis of variance (ANOVA).
Then, the significance among means was tested depending on Duncan Multiple Range
Test using SPSS program, version 17 (11, 12).
Results and discussion
Table (1) illustrates the effect of aqueous extract of fig on means of
hemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume means in female rabbits. The
results show that there was a significant (P<0.05) increase in hemoglobin for the three
treated groups with aqueous extract of fig compared with control animals. The
hemoglobin concentration mean was 13.584 ± 0.544 mg/dl in control group, while it
was15.354 ± 0.394, 16.185 ± 0.570 and 16.560 ± 0.443 mg/dl in treated groups with
15, 20 and 25 mg/kg respectively. The results also show that there was a significant
(P<0.05) increase in the packed cell volume in treated animals compared with control
group. The means were 47.063 ± 0.181, 49.555 ± 1.711 and 50.681 ± 1.330 %, while
the PCV mean was 41.752 ± 1.633 % in control group. No significant differences in
both parameters among groups were observed.
Table (1): Effect of aqueous extract of fig on hemoglobin concentration and packed

cell volume in female rabbits (Mean ± SE).
Treated groups Hemoglobin concentration
(mg/ dl)
Packed cell volume (%)
15 mg/kg 15.354 ± 0.394 b 47.063 ± 0.181 b
20 mg/kg 16.185 ± 0.570 b 49.555 ± 1.711 b
25mg/kg 16.560 ± 0.443 b 50.681 ± 1.330 b
Control 13.584 ± 0.544 a 41.752 ± 1.633 a
* Similar letters indicate no significant differences and different letters indicate
significant differences at p< 0.05.
The significant increase in hemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume
in the animals treated with aqueous extract of fig fruit compared with the control
might be related to the small content of iron in fig fruit (about 3 mg per 100 gm of fig)
(13). Furthermore, it has been found that in each 100 gm of fig, there are 4.3 and 1.3
gm of protein in dried and fresh portion respectively (14). The iron and protein are
essential elements in hemoglobin synthesis (15). It was estimated that only small
amounts of iron are required in the daily diet to replace the small amounts lost in urine
and feces (16). The iron is recycled within the process of breakdown of hemoglobin
by macrophages in the liver and spleen. The globin part is broken down into amino
acids that are reused to produce other proteins. The iron is released from here and can
be used to produce new hemoglobin molecules in the bone marrow (15, 16).
Therefore, this small amount of iron and protein in the fig extract might caused this
significant increase in hemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume.
The results also show (Table 2) that there was a significant (P<0.05) increase
in the white blood cells count at 20 and 25 mg/kg (group 2 and 3) compared with
control group. The white blood cell count mean was 9.640 ± 0.172 and 9.760 ± 0.172
X10³ cell/mm³, respectively. There was no significant difference at 15 mg/kg (group
1). The white blood count mean was 9.240 ± 0.248 X10³ cell/mm³ in 15 mg/kg while
it was 8.640 ± 0.292 X10³ cell/mm³ in control group. The increase in the white blood
cells count in animals treated with the aqueous extract of fig fruits might be related to
the presence of phenolic compounds in Moraceae which act as immunostimulatory
agents (immunopotentiation or strengthening of the immune reactions) (17). The
immunostimulant activity boosts the body's macrophage response, which stimulates
the lymphocytic system, and boosts production of white blood cells (17, 18). The
increase in the white blood cell count was within the normal range, however, the
increase in the leukocyte counts outside the normal range may be an indication that

the blood cell production increases in attempt to combat the toxin assault in the diets,
since leukocytes are known to be among body defense mechanisms that fight against
non-self or pathogenic organisms (19).
Concerning the platelets count, the results also show (table 2) that there was a
significant (P<0.05) increase in platelets count mean at 25 mg/kg (group 3) but there
was no significant difference at 20 and 15 mg/kg (group 2 and 1) compared with
control group. The platelets count mean was 373.6 ± 4.166, 392 ± 3.033, 383.2 ±
2.416 and 380.8 ± 4.127 X 10³ cell/ mm³ for control, 25, 20 and 15 mg/kg groups,
respectively.
In rabbit models, thrombocytes (platelets) and hematocrit (packed cell volume)
have been shown to be independent variables which influence haemostasis.
Additionally metabolically active erythrocytes have been shown to enhance the
platelet release reaction, eicosanoid synthesis and further platelet recruitment.
Erythrocytes provide agonists for platelet action such as adenosine diphosphate
(ADP) which facilitates platelet accretion to the endothelium and enhance platelet
activity (20).
Recently, the fig fruit was found to be rich in fatty acids and vitamins. In
addition, the non-essential fatty acids such as palmitic, stearic and oleic acids and
essential fatty acids such as linoleic and linolenic acids were also identified.
Therefore, the fig fruit was confirmed to have important nutrients in term of human
nutrition rather than just a fibrous fruit (14). These elements are necessary for the
process of blood cell formation (hematopoiesis) which occurs in red bone marrow and
gives rise to the cell lines that produce the formed elements (15, 16).
From above, it could be concluded that the potency of aqueous fig extract in
improving the blood parameters in female rabbits may be through its action in
strengthening the immune system and affecting the haemostasis.
Table (2): Effect of aqueous extract of fig on white blood cell and platelets count in
female rabbits (Mean ± SE).
Treated groups WBC count (X10³ cell/
mm³)
Platelets count (X 10³ cell/
mm³)
15 mg/kg 9.240 ± 0.248 ab 380.8 ± 4.127 a
20 mg/kg 9.640 ± 0.172 b 383.2 ± 2.416 ab
25mg/kg 9.760 ± 0.172 b 392 ± 3.033 b

Control 8.640 ± 0.292 a 373.6 ± 4.166 a
* Similar letters indicate no significant differences and different letters indicate
significant differences at p< 0.05.
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