1 This article can be downloaded from http://www.ijlbpr.com/currentissue.php Int. J. LifeSc. Bt & Pharm. Res. 2013 Obeagu Emmanuel Ifeanyi et al., 2014 HAEMATOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF FLUTED PUMPKIN (TELFAIRIA OCCIDENTALIS) LEAVES IN RATS Obeagu Emmanuel Ifeanyi 1 *, Chikelu Ifeoma M 2 , obarezi Thompson Ndubuisi 3 , Ogbuabor Bernice Nwakaego 4 and Anaebo Queen Braxton 5 Research Paper The effects of different concentrations of ethanol extract of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) leaves on some haematological parameters: Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations, Total White Blood Cell (TWBC) count and Platelet count were evaluated using 16 Wister strain albino rats as subjects. In the experiment, the rats were divided into 4 groups of 4 rats each and the rats were served different concentrations of T. occidentalis ethanol extract for seven (7) days. The result showed that the group of rats which received 300 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg leaves extract had a significant increase (p<0.05) in PCV and Hb concentration, those administered 100 mg/kg of the extract had significant increase (p<0.05) in PCV only. There was no significant increase (p<0.05) in the WBC and platelet counts of all the groups when compared with the control. It therefore follows that T. occidentalis has haematopoietic properties. Keywords: Telfairia occidentalis, Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations, Total White Blood Cell (TWBC) count and Platelet count *Corresponding Author: Obeagu Emmanuel Ifeanyi  Emmanuelobeagu@Yahoo.com ISSN 2250-3137 www.ijlbpr.com Vol. 3, No. 1, January 2014 © 2014 IJLBPR. All Rights Reserved Int. J. LifeSc. Bt & Pharm. Res. 2014 1 Diagnostic Laboratory Unit, Department of University Health Services, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria. 2 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Madonna University, Elele Campus, Elele, Rivers State, Nigeria. 3 Medical Doctor, Department of University Health Services, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria. 4 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Esut Teaching Hopital Parklane,Enugu State, Nigeria. 5 Medical Doctor Department of accident And Emergency Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. INTRODUCTION Botanical Description of Fluted Pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) Leaves Telfairia occidentalis is a tropical vine grown in West Africa as a leaf vegetable and for its edible seeds (Badifu et al; 2001). Common name for the plant include fluted gourd, fluted pumpkin and ugu in Igbo, gbaroko in Yoruba and umeke in Edo. This creeping vegetable spread low across the ground with lobed leaves and long twisting tendrils (Okoli et al. , 1999). The plant is dioecious, perennial and drought-tolerant. It thrives best in soils rich in organic matter and during the early part of the rainy season. The fruit of the plant is large and inedible reaching about 13 kg. The seed plz chk authors a n d affiliation