An In Vivo Study of the Influence of Ethanolic Leaf Extract of Katsubong (Datura Metel Var. Fastuosa L.) On Platelet Count and other Hematological Parameters of Albino Mice (Mus Musculus)

Datura metel var. fastuosa L. is traditionally used for its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, yet its effects on hematological parameters and toxicity remain underexplored. This quantitative study evaluated the impact of Katsubong ethanolic leaf extract on platelet count, red blood cell (RBC) count, white blood cell (WBC) count, and hemoglobin levels in mice. A Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was employed using male albino mice treated with extract doses of 0.1 mL, 0.2 mL, and 0.3 mL. Hematological parameters were measured pre- and post-treatment using a veterinary hematology analyzer. The extract appeared to increase platelet counts in a dose-dependent manner, with the 0.1 mL dose showing slight improvement, 0.2 mL producing a more noticeable increase, and 0.3 mL showing the most significant rise, particularly in R2 and R3. Despite this trend, the control and treatment groups for pre- and post-extraction platelet counts revealed a mean increase from 161.78 to 385.89. However, the two-tailed p-value of 0.143 and the t Stat of -2.349 in the paired two-sample t-test were above the 0.05 significance level. Thus, the null hypothesis was accepted, indicating no statistically significant difference in platelet counts. Hemoglobin levels improved across all treatments, with Treatments 1 and 2 showing the greatest increases. The WBC counts rose in Treatments 1 and 3, while RBC counts varied, with a decrease observed in Treatment 2. For toxicity testing, the Brine Shrimp Lethality Assay (BSLA) was conducted by exposing Artemia salina nauplii to varying extract concentrations, and LC₅₀ values were interpreted using Clarkson’s criteria. Results showed that the Katsubong extract exhibited low toxicity. These findings suggest Katsubong extract may influence platelet and hemoglobin levels. However, the observed inconsistencies and lack of statistical significance highlight the need for further studies on its therapeutic potential.