Effect of the total crude extracts of Hibiscus sabdariffa on the immune system in the Wistar albino rats

th day, whole blood was collected into a clean ethlenediaminetetracetic acid (EDTA)-vacutainer. The complete blood count (CBC), immune blood cell count, hemagglutination antibody (HA) titers, neutrophil adhesion and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response were determined. All the doses caused an increase in mean red blood cell (RBC) counts as compared to control group. Similarly, the mean percentage neutrophils, monocytes, basophils and eosinophils increased with dose while the opposite was true for percentage lymphocytes. The mean HA titers for the herb were higher than control though no statistical difference (p≥0.05) was observed. Similar effects were observed with neutrophil adhesions response as that of HA titers. For DTH, the highest footpad thickness (175.2% increment) was observed at a dose of 500 mg/Kg bwt after 12 h and was statistically significant (p≤0.05) as compared to control. H. sabdariffa contain compounds with immunomodulatory activity in Wistar albino rats.