Haematological Responses to Ethanol Extracts of Chia Seed and Tiger Nut in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is often accompanied by disturbances in haematological indices, reflecting the broader metabolic stress of chronic hyperglycaemia. This study evaluated the effect of ethanol extracts of chia seed (Salvia hispanica) and tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus), administered separately and in combination, on haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell (RBC) count, white blood cell (WBC) count, lymphocyte, and neutrophil levels in alloxan-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Sixty-three male rats were assigned to nine groups of seven: normal control (A), diabetic untreated (B), diabetic + 100 mg/kg metformin (C), diabetic + 150 or 300 mg/kg chia extract (D, E), diabetic + 150 or 300 mg/kg tiger nut extract (F, G), and diabetic + 150 or 300 mg/kg combined extract (H, I), dosed orally once daily for 21 days after alloxan-induced diabetes was confirmed. At the end of treatment, Hb, PCV, and RBC were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the chia-treated (D, E) and combination-treated (H, I) groups than in the normal control (Group A), while total WBC was significantly higher (p<0.05) in the diabetic untreated group (B) and the chia-treated groups (D, E) than in the control, with Group B recording the highest WBC overall. Lymphocyte and neutrophil levels varied modestly across groups without a consistent dose-dependent pattern. These findings suggest that ethanol extracts of chia seed and tiger nut, particularly in combination, support red-cell-related haematological parameters in diabetic rats, while the elevated WBC in the untreated diabetic group is consistent with dehydration and stress associated with uncontrolled hyperglycaemia.