Protective Effect of Costus afer Aqueous Leaf Extract (CALE) on Low-Dose Heavy Metal Mixture-Induced Alterations in Serum Lipid Profile and Hematological Parameters of Male Wistar Albino Rats

Table 1

Effect of Costus afer on the feed intake (g) and fluid intake (ml) and food efficiency ratio (%) of male albino rats treated with metal mixture.

Treatment/weeks	1–4 wks		5–8 wks		9–12 wks		Feed efficiency ratio % (FER)
	Feed intake (g)	Fluid intake (ml)	Feed intake (g)	Fluid intake (ml)	Feed intake (g)	Fluid intake (ml)
Deionized H2O (only)	221.44 ± 1.42^a	434.54 ± 2.16^a	222.45 ± 1.42^a	439.39 ± 4.47^a	226.36 ± 5.43^b	439.45 ± 8.50^a	0.398 ± 1.42^a
Metal mixture (only)	205.94 ± 2.48^c	409.80 ± 5.19^b	192.60 ± 4.45^b	357.21 ± 30.94^b	98.23 ± 11.23^a	306.46 ± 20.8^c	0.397 ± 2.48^c
Metal mixture + 750 mg/kg	202.88 ± 1.07^c	400.59 ± 23.81^b	207.43 ± 4.29^a	409.80 ± 5.19^ab	213.90 ± 2.85^b	422.45 ± 3.38^b	0.320 ± 1.07^c
Metal mixture + 1500 mg/kg	207.43 ± 4.29^b	416.66 ± 3.33^a	213.90 ± 2.85^a	418.67 ± 2.89^ab	221.44 ± 1.42^b	424.54 ± 2.16^b	0.502 ± 4.29^b
Metal mixture + 2250 mg/kg	222.45 ± 1.42^a	417.50 ± 9.36^a	223.86 ± 1.66^a	424.54 ± 2.16^a	234.61 ± 10.79^b	439.39 ± 4.47^a	0.469 ± 1.42^a

Values are expressed as (mean ± SD, N = 4). In each column, values with different superscripts (a, b, and c) are significantly different from each other () and those with the same superscripts are not significantly different.