International Journal of Pharmacology1811-77751812-5700Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/ijp.2007.411.415SabaA. B.OyagbemiA. A.5200735A study on the haemotoxic effect of orally administered chloramphenicol palmitate (CAP) and the possible countering effect of multivitamin-haematinic complex (MVH) on chloramphenicol-induced anaemia was conducted using rabbits as the animal model. Twenty male rabbits were used in this study. They were randomly divided into four groups of five rabbits each according to the drug administered. Rabbits in group A were administered with 0.9% physiological saline; group B rabbits were administered with chloramphenicol only while rabbits in group C were given combination of chloramphenicol and MVH. Rabbits in group D were administered with MVH only. Chloramphenicol palmitate was administered at dosage of 50 mg kg-1, 6 h interval per day for a period of three weeks. Chemiron® was the source of multivitamin- haematinics used in this study and 5 mL of the syrup was administered thrice daily for the same period of time. All the administration of drugs was done orally. Blood samples were collected from the rabbits in all the groups on the 7th, 14th and 21st of drug administration. Peripheral blood parameters such as the Red Blood Cell count (RBC), Packed Cell Volume (PCV), haemoglobin concentration (Hb), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH) and White Blood Cell count (WBC) were evaluated. The haemotoxic effect of CAP was evident from the 7th day to the 21st day of drug administration with the lowered haematological values of rabbits in group B when compared with those of the rabbits in control group A. Statistical comparison shows that the differences of the means of group A and B were significant for RBC (p<0.01), PCV (p<0.05) and Hb (p<0.05) on day 7; for RBC (p<0.001), PCV (p<0.001) and Hb (p<0.01) on day 14; for RBC (p<0.001), PCV (p<0.001) and Hb (p<0.05) day 21. The administration of MVH to the rabbits in group D produced higher mean haematological values for the group compared with the mean values of the control group A and these changes were only significant for RBC (p<0.05), PCV (p<0.05) and MCH (p<0.05) on day 21. The rabbits of group C administered with MVH and CAP exhibited significantly lower levels of PCV (p<0.05) on day 7, RBC (p<0.01) PCV (p<0.01) and Hb (p<0.05) on day 14 relative to the values obtained in the control group A. This study further confirmed the anaemic side effect of chloramphenicol and it also established the limitations of haematopoietic micronutrients in reducing or ameliorating this anaemic effect especially during prolonged administration of chloramphenicol.]]>Bartz, Q.R.,1948172445450Das, B.S., U. Devi, L. Mohan Rao, V.K. Srivastava and P.K. Rath,200390541550Festing, M.F., W.P. Diamanti and J.A. Turton,200139375383Hillman, R.S.,19961996pp: 1311-1340pp: 1311-1340Holt, D.E., T.A. Ryder, A.J. Fairbairan and D. Hurley,1997in vitro and in vivo studies. 1. In vivo effect on cell cultures.]]>16570576Holt, D.E., C.M. Andrews, J.P. Payne, T.C. Williams and J.A. Turton,1998In vitro and in vivo studies: II: In vivo myelotoxicity in the B6C3F1 mouse.]]>17817Holt, D.E., S. Halket, J. de Louvois and D. Harvey,200184F85F89Kapusnik-Uner, J.E.M., A. Sande and H.F. Chambers,19961996pp: 1123-1153pp: 1123-1153Milman, N., K.E. Byg and A.O. Agger,2000798998Van Den Broek N.,200367149160Olayemi, F., J. Oyewale, S. Rahman and O. Omolewa,2003Anas platyrhynchos).]]>73271276Pejrilova, S., Z. Knotkova, Z. Knotek and V. Vrbas,2004Iguana Iguana rhinolapha).]]>73305312Robert, P.Y. and J.P. Adenis,200161175185Sharp, R.A., J.G. Lowe and R.N. Johnston,199044706707Steel, R.G.D. and J.I.L. Torrie,19962nd Edn.,pp: 6-15pp: 6-15Turton, J.A., D. Yallop, C.M. Andrews, R. Fagg, M. York and T.C. Williams,199918566576Turton, J.A., C.M. Andrews, A.C. Havard and T.C. Williams,200283225238