HEMATOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF ALBINO RATS FED WITH Pleurotus ostreatus CULTIVATED ON TWO TROPICAL TREES’ SAWDUST (Pycnanthus angolensis AND Spondias mombin)

Abstract

Pleurotus ostreatus, an edible mushroom in the tropics was artificially cultivated on the mixture of the sawdust of two different tropical trees(African nut (Pycnanthus angolensis, Welw, Warb; Family: Myristicaceae) and hog plum (Spondias mombin, L; Family: Anacardiaceae)) . The fruitbodies obtained were used to feed experimental animals (Wistar strain albino rats) while the subsequent toxicological effects was investigated on the hematological parameters of the experimental animals. There was a significant decrease (P > 0.05) in the Packed Cell Volume (34.0%), Red Blood Cell (3.2 x 1012/L), White Blood Cell (3.5 x 103/L), Mean Corpuscular Volume (8.0 g/fL) and Hemoglobin (11.33 g/dL) of the rats fed with protein free diet compared to the rats fed with the mushroom composed diet (PCV, 40.0%; RBC, 5.0 x 1012/L; WBC, 8.5 x 103/L; MCV, 90.0 g/fL and Hb, 13.33 g/dL. The values obtained from the rats fed mushroom composed diet however compared favourably with the results obtained in rats fed with the soybean composed diet (positive control) which is given as (PCV, 35.0%; RBCs, 6.6 x 1012/L; WBCs, 6.5 x 103/L), MCV (93.0 g/fL) and Hb, 11.67 g/dL. It was therefore concluded that the hematological parameters of the experimental animals was not in any way affected as a result of consumption of mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) cultivated on sawdust of these two tropical trees.