South Asian Journal of Parasitology

The health of the body is dependent on the immune system’s ability to recognize and repel, or destroy foreign invaders that may cause disease. Dexamethasone (Dex), a synthetic corticosteroid medication has been known to pose immunosuppressant activity. Current study investigated the effect(s) of co-administration of Antioxidant Vitamins with Artemisinin on haematological parameters [Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), Eosinophil Count (EC), Monocyte Counts (MC), Packed Cell Volume (PCV) and Lymphocyte Count (LC)] of immunocompromised mice. Sixty (n = 60) adult male (20 g- 35 g) albino mice were grouped into six (6) of ten (10) rats per group. While Group 1 received standard diet (control), Groups 2 - 6 respectively received 0.3 mg/kg body weight of Dex, 0.3 mg/kg of Dex + inoculated with P. berghei, 0.3 mg/kg of Dex + inoculated with P. berghei + 56 mg/kg of Artemisinin, 0.3 mg/kg of Dex + inoculated with P. berghei + Vitamin C, and 0.3 mg/kg of Dex + inoculated with P. berghei + Vit E. After 28 days of treatment, mice were fasted overnight and euthanized by cervical dislocation. Blood samples were obtained by cardiac puncture and assayed for haematological changes. Following comparison, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) returned a statistically significant increase in Platelet Count was seen for group 3 mice, with other parameters returning an insignificant decrease. Study also found average values of PCV, LC, MCV, MCH, and MCHC to be statistically insignificant in groups 5 and 6. We recommend the co-administration of antioxidant vitamins in malaria infected and/or immunosuppressed animals.