Effects of aqueous leaf extracts of Loranthus micranthus Linn. on hematological profile of albino rats infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei

African trypanosomiasis has continued to threaten human health and economical development (Kuzoe Acta Trop 54:153–162, 1993; WHO J Tsetse Tryp Info Quart 3:4–9, 2000). It is caused by parasitic protozoa of the genus Trypanosoma (Adeiza et al. J Med Plant Res 4(17):1770–1777, 2010), and the distribution corresponds with that of tsetse flies. Effects of aqueous leaf extracts of Loranthus micranthus on hematological parameters of albino rats infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei were investigated for 28 days using standard methods. The HB, PCV, RBC, and its indices (MCH, MCV, and MCHC) of the infected rats significantly decreased (P < 0.05) at various dose levels of the extracts when compared with the control groups. The WBC counts of the treatment groups and those of the negative control group showed significant increases (P < 0.05) in all the weeks when compared with the normal control. The WBC differentials revealed that neutrophils were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the test group in comparison with the positive control group at week 3; however, lymphocytes, eosinophils, and basophils were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from the positive control in week 3. Furthermore, minimal increases in the WBC differentials were observed in the group administered 800 mg/kg of the plant extract. The present study showed that all test rats and the negative control group died from the resultant overwhelming parasitemia at week 4 unlike the case of those administered the standard drug, which is an indication that the extract lacks anti-trypanocidal activity. Thus, the aqueous leaf extract of Loranthus micranthus is an inadequate anti-trypanosomal agent.