Haematological Changes Following Administration of Alcohol and Caffeine in Albino Wistar Rats

Abstract
The haematological changes following the administration of varying concentrations of alcohol and caffeine for 7days were investigated in six groups of albino Wistar rats. Each group consisted of 8 rats l4 males; 4 females). The parameters assayed include percentage packed cell volume (%PCV), red blood cell (ROC) and white blood cell (WBC) counts and haemoglobin (Hb) concentration of rats. Rats that were administrated 1m1 and 2m/ of 43% alcohol recorded lower % PCV than controls. However, this lower value was ‘only significant (P40.05) In the female rats when compared with their corresponding controls. A similar picture was observed for RBC counts in these animals. All the rats that received the respective treatments recorded haemoglobin concentrations similar to their controls. Male and female rats administered alcohol and caffeine or caffeine alone recorded increases in WBC counts which were only – significant (P00.05) for the male rats. Male and female animals administered alcohol alone recorded WBC counts similar to the controls. The results indicate that alcohol ingestion may precipitate anaemia especially in the female rats.
Keywords: Alcohol, Caffeine, Haematological indices, Albino rats