Potential Role of Spirulina Platensis in Maintaining Blood Parameters in Alloxan Induced Diabetic Mice

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of supplementation of Spirulina platensis on altered blood parameters in alloxan induced diabetic mice. Methods: Diabetes mellitus was induced by intra-peritoneal administration of alloxan-monohydrate. Mice were divided into four groups of six mice in each group. Group-I was normal, group-II was diabetic, group-III was diabetic control fed with Spirulina platensis and group-IV was control mice fed with Spirulina platensis powder. The dose of 15 mgkg-1bw at a single dose per day for three weeks was given orally to concerned test animal. Results: The effects on erythrocyte count, percent haemoglobin, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and leucocyte count were estimated in diabetic mice and compared with other groups. WBC and MCV were significantly increased (p<0.05), whereas rest other hematological parameters were significantly decreased (p<0.05) in diabetic control nontreated mice, while these parameters in group-III were comparable with normal control group. Conclusion: The findings indicated that the administration of Spirulina platensis tended to bring the parameters significantly towards the normal (p<0.05) for group-III but insignificant for group-IV (p<0.05). The Spirulina platensis proves to maintain blood parameters against alloxan induced diabetes mellitus.