SAFETY POTENTIAL OF YOYO BITTER ON LIPID INDICES, HEMATOLOGY AND RENAL FUNCTION IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS

There are many herbal medicines in Nigerian drug markets these days and the Government seems to have supported alternative therapy as this has become part of the curricula for the Medical Programmes of Nigerian Universities lately. Yoyo bitters and other bitters take the lead in indigenous herbal preparations. This study was carried out to determine the safety potential of the consumption of Yoyo bitters. The potential effect of Yoyo bitters on hematology and renal function in male Wister rats was determined. The rats were divided into three groups with seven rats per group. The control group (group 1) was administered 30 ml/kg normal saline while group 2 and 3 were administered 15 and 30 ml/kg Yoyo bitters respectively through oral route daily for 30 days. The animals were sacrificed on day 31. There was no significant change (p > 0.05) in lipid indices (artherogenic index and coronary risk index), hematological parameters (packed cell volume, platelet, white blood cell, neutrophil and lymphocyte count) and renal function test (sodium, potassium, urea and creatinine) of the treatment groups. The result of this study showed that Yoyo bitters may not trigger atherogenicity and coronary risk problems and have no adverse effect on the hematological parameters and renal function and thus can be said to be safe for human consumption.