Effects of Rauwolfa vomitoria (Akata) and Olax subscorpioidea (Asaja) Roots on Hematology of Chicken Type II Collagen-Freund’s Adjuvant-induced Rheumatoid Arthritis in Albino Rats

This study evaluated the effects of ethanol and aqueous root extracts of Rauwolfia vomitoria and Olax subscorpioidea on Chicken type II collagen in Complete Freund’s Adjuvant-induced arthritis in albino rats. A total of 225 albino rats, weighing between 120-200 g, were used and divided into 15 groups of 15 rats each. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) was induced by administering 0.1 ml of Chicken type II-Complete Freund’s Adjuvant into the left hind paw. The study duration was 32 days, during which the arthritic rats were treated with Rauwolfia vomitoria and Olax subscorpioidea root extracts at doses of 400 mg, 600 mg, and 800 mg/kg body weight. The sub-lethal toxicity study revealed significant increases (P<0.05) in WBC, platelet, and differential counts, along with significant reductions (P<0.05) in RBC count, PCV, and HB in the adjuvant induced arthritic rats compared to the negative control group. However, treatment with the plant extracts (groups 4-15) significantly reversed these trends towards normal levels compared to the untreated arthritis group (group 2) within the 32-day period. The ameliorative effects of the extracts were both time- and dose dependent (P<0.05). This study concludes that the ethanol and aqueous root extracts of Rauwolfia vomitoria and Olax subscorpioidea effectively ameliorate arthritis symptoms in albino rats, potentially due to the presence of active chemical constituents. These findings provide scientific evidence supporting the therapeutic use of these plant extracts in managing arthritis.