Effect of Katuk Leaves (Sauropus androgynus) on Haematology Profile of Infected Rats with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

Introduction: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a formidable pathogen, causing severe infections in humans and animals, often leading to local and systemic inflammation. In light of this, it becomes imperative to explore novel therapeutic avenues. One such promising approach is the utilization of herbal-derived antioxidants, with katuk leaves (Sauropus androgynus) being a prime example.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of katuk leaf extract (KLE) against systemic MRSA infection in rat models.

Materials and methods: This study used 36 male Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were divided into six groups including, healthy rats (Group C), infected rats without treatment (Group K), infected rats + 100 mg vancomycin per kg BW (Group V), infected rats + 1,000 mg/kg BW of KLE (Group T1), infected rats + 2,000 mg/kg BW of KLE (Group T2), and infected rats + 4,000 mg/kg BW of KLE (Group T4). The therapy was given twice daily for seven days. On the final day, the blood and sera were collected and tested against total erythrocytes, leucocytes, indices of erythrocytes, differential leucocyte count, and C-reactive protein (CRP).

Results: The findings showed that the administration of 4,000 mg/kg BW of KLE potentially leads to more favorable changes in haematological parameters compared to the healthy group, particularly for hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell hemoglobin (MCH), mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), platelets, monocytes, neutrophils, and CRP. Additionally, the 4,000 mg/kg BW of KLE increases the ratio of lymphocytes/neutrophils compared to the other groups.

Conclusion: The KLE has the critical benefit of being a systemic antibacterial agent against MRSA at a dosage of 4,000 mg/kg BW, especially in improving the haematological profile and CRP in rat models.