ABSTRACT
Petroselinum crispum(parsley or garden parsley), besides its use as an edible vegetable, is used in the treatment of various ailments with documented evidence validating some of these medicinal uses. The present study evaluates the impact of oral administration of P. crispumon blood coagulation parameters. Fresh leaves of P. crispum were locally sourced, authenticated and extracted using ethanol to obtain an ethanolic extract of P. crispum (PCE). Twenty-five (25) male Wistar rats were used for the study and were randomly assigned to five (5) animals of five (5) rats each. Group I served as the control group and was given distilled water, whereas groups II, III, and IV were treated as experimental groups and administered PCE at 200, 400, and 800mg/kg via oral gavage, respectively. Group V also received 800mg/kg of PCE with the administration terminated on the 28thday to allow for a 14-day recovery period. Platelet count (PLT) and other platelet indices were determined using an automated Haematology analyzer. Bleeding time (BT), clotting time (CT), prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and plasma fibrinogen (FIB) were assayed following standard laboratory protocols. The results of the study show that the mean PLT were significantly reduced in the experimental animals compared to the control (p<0.05) while BT, CT, PT, aPTT and FIB significantly increased compared to the control (p<0.05). Also, BT, CT, PT, and aPTT recovered towards the control values after the 14-day withdrawal period. The present study shows ethanolic leaf extract of P. crispumprolonged blood coagulation. The current evidence suggests that P. crispumcould be a candidate for further exploration as a natural plant-based antithrombotic agent.