Nutritional and physiological studies on onion allium cepal: 1 Effect on blood constituents

ABSTRACT

The results indicated that onion with 1% and 2% additions per kg diet caused a significant decrease in the number of red blood cells, packed cell volume and haemoglobin content of the blood. On the other hand it increased the number of while blood cells. Blood smears were prepared from control and treated rats. They were stained with new methylene blue and modified wright's stains for detection of Heinz bodies and reticulocytes. No evidence could be noticed for the presence of Heinz bodies or reticulocytes in the blood of rats as a result of adding onion to its feed. The glucose level in the blood of treated animals was significantly lower than its level in the control ones. Total protein was increased in the serum of the treated rats. The cholesterol content in the serum of rats was highly significant increased in the fourth group in which 3% onion per kg diet was added to the feed of rats when compared with cholesterol level in the serum of control animals