Haematological and Serum Biochemical Responses of Growing Rabbits to Aqueous Extract of Moringa oleifera Leaves in Drinking Water

Abstract

A total number of 64 mixed sex growing APRI rabbits aged 5 weeks and weighing 661.8±8.08 g was assigned randomly into four treatment groups to evaluate the impact of aqueous Moringa oleifera leaves extract (AMOLE) addition in drinking water. Treatments were 0 (control, G 1), 30 (G 2), 60 (G 3) and 90 (G 4) ml AMOLE/L. The study was lasted for 8 weeks during the growing period, from weaning age at 5 weeks to marketing age at 13 weeks. The results revealed that values of blood picture including hemoglobin, packed cell volume and neutrophils were significantly higher (P≤0.01) in growing APRI rabbits treated with AMOLE levels than those in the control group. The rabbits from the groups receiving AMOLE had lower total lipids, triglycerides and total cholesterol as compared with those from the control group. Also, results showed that there were no significant differences among the experimental groups in activity of serum transaminases (AST and ALT) and serum levels of creatinine and urea-N. The effect of AMOLE levels on total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was so clear, where treated groups showed significant (P≤0.05) increases in their TAC by about 17.5, 25.4 and 25.5%, respectively. The different administrated of AMOLE influenced significantly the lipid peroxidation (LPO) by decreasing serum mnalondialdehyde concentration. It can be concluded that addition of AMOLE to drinking water for growing rabbits has a beneficial effect on some aspects of their haematological and serum biochemical responses without any deleterious effects on liver and kidneys functions.