Effect of crude venom of Echis carinatus sochureki snake on hematological parameters of male and female rats

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of crude venom of Echis carinatus sochureki snake on hematological parameters of rats.  Adult male and female rats divided into three groups for each sex (6 for each group), the first group injected with normal saline (0.9%Nacl) as a control group, the second group injected with (0.04ml/kg/day) of crude venom for once time, and the third group injected with (0.08ml/kg/day) of crude venom for once time. Animals killed within 24 hours. Results indicated  a significant decrease (P≤0.05) in red blood cell count (RBC) ), packed cell volume (PCV), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), total white blood cell count (WBC), lymphocytes, acidophils, neutrophils and  monocytes count in male and female rats of second and third groups compared with the control group. The results showed non-significant differences (p≤ 0.05) in mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean concentration corpuscular hemoglobin (MCHC) and basophils count between the three groups (first, second and third) in male and female rats. Also, it showed a significant increase (P≤0.05) in the number of platelets in second and third groups of female rats compared with the control group, while the number of platelets in male rats increased significantly in third group compared with the first and second groups.