ABSTRACT

The present study investigated the immunomodulatory potentials of aqueous extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa leaf on pyrogallol induced immunosuppression in , wistar albino rats over a 28-day period. The rats were divided into three (3) groups with four (4) rats in each group. The first group which is the normal control received feed and water throughout the period of the study. The second group(positive control) received 600mg/kg of pyrogallol plus feed and water and the third group (test group)for the leaf extract received pyrogallol and 400mg/kg of leaf extract.The experiment lasted for a period. of 28 days.At the end of the experiment,the animals were sacrificed and blood was drawn for biological assays using standard methods.Resuits obtained showed that there was significant (p<0.05)increase when the test group is compared with the positive control group for the results obtained for WBC, RBC, GPx, GSH, MDA, hemoglobin count, catalase, PCV, primary and secondary antibodies. While for results of Vitamin E and platelet count, there was no significant (p<0.05)decrease. The results obtained are an indication that the administration of the plant extract to immunosuppressed rats could raise immunity of the rats both to combat diseases and withstand oxidative stress, and carry out activities with ease, it can also be implied from findings that the administration of plant extract can prevent immunosuppression in animals exposed to immunosuppressant condition. The plant extract was found to be an effective immuno-stimulant.