Effects of Nicotine and Sodium Bicarbonate on Blood Parameters of Albino Rats (Rattus norvegicus)

In this study, the effects of nicotine and sodium bicarbonate on some blood parameters of male albino rats were investigated. Seventy five albino rats of 90 days old and average body weight of 190g were used. These animals were randomly selected into five groups, A, B, C, D, and E of five rats each. This experiment was replicated three times. Group A was the control group and they were given normal saline. Group B was treated with only nicotine of 0.5ml of 1g/100ml while other groups, C, D, and E received this same concentration of nicotine but with varying concentration levels of (1ml, 2ml, and 3ml of 2g/100ml) of sodium bicarbonate respectively. The treatments were administered orally using gastrointestinal cannular for four weeks. The result showed elevations of serum level in aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanin aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in the entire treated groups but there was no significant difference, when compared with the control. There was significant difference (P < 0.05) in WBC of group B when compared with the control group, and the value obtained from group A was 10.6 x 103 ± 333 cells mm-3, while 4.4 x 103 ± 333 cells mm-3 was obtained from group B. There was also significant difference in RBC value of group B, ( P < 0.05) when compared with the control group, and the value obtained from group A, the control group was 10.6x106±620 cells mm-3 while 4.6 x106 ± 340 cells mm-3 was obtained from group B. Also, there was significant difference in PCV mean values of group B, C, and D, (P < 0.05) when compared with the control group. The value obtained from group A, the control group was 42 ± 0.5 % while 27.3 ± 1.7 %, 35 ± 1.5 %, and 36 ± 2.3 % were obtained from group B, C, and D respectively. Generally, effects of nicotine were much in group B that received 0.5ml of nicotine without sodium bicarbonate, and these effects decreased as concentration of sodium bicarbonate increased in other groups with fixed concentration of nicotine.