Assessment of Changed in Serum Haematological Parameters in the Plasmodium berghei Infected Albino Mice Treated with Neem (Azadirachta indica) Extracts

Malaria is the most important of the parasitic disease of humans, and its neurological complications cerebral malaria is arguably one of the most common non-traumatic encephalopathies, and it is becoming more difficult to manage particularly in areas of multi-drug resistance. The clinical symptoms include anaemia and cerebral haemorrhage. Hence, This study was designed to assess changes in serum haematological parameters in the Plasmodium berghei infected albino mice treated with neem extracts. Albino mice free from infection were experimentally infected with Plasmodium berghei. The animals showed detectable parasitemia on day 4 post-infection with about 30 % of parasitemia recorded before death of animal. Packed cell volume (PCV) level decreased with increase in the post infection days. The PCV values in all the infected treated experimental animals were significantly different (p≤0.05) from the infected untreated animals. Other heamatological parameters which include HB and WBC decreased with increased parasitemia. A decrease in packed cell volume an index of anaemia was observed in the Plasmodium berghei infected mice. Clinical signs observed during the course of treatment ranged from diarrhea, anaemia, loss of appetite, loss of weight to cerebral hemorrhage and splenomegaly.