Mercuric chloride interferes with erythrocyte membrane and can alter erythrocyte osmotic fragility. Saline and saccharide media have been used in erythrocyte osmotic fragility techniques. Inhibition of erythrocyte osmotic permeability by mercuric chloride was assessed in 10 apparently healthy non-pregnant and non-lactating Sahel does aged two and half years each by dentition. Packed cell volume, erythrocyte count and mean corpuscular volume were determined and calculated using standard methods from heparinised blood from the jugular vein. Erythrocyte osmotic fragility was determined in hypotonic saline, glucose or sucrose medium without and with added mercuric chloride. Erythrocyte parameters were all within normal range for the species. With added mercuric chloride, osmotic stabilization was 84-92% at saline concentrations of 90-300 mOsmol/L, at glucose concentrations of 90-270 mOsmol/L, 9-88% erythrocyte osmotic stabilization was recorded while 39-95% stabilization was observed at sucrose concentrations of 90-270 mOsmol/L. Mercuric chloride inhibited erythrocyte osmotic stability in saline and saccharide media with the highest stabilization in high concentration (300mOsmol/L) of saline, higher stabilization in median (210-270mOsmol/L) and high concentrations of saline than in glucose or sucrose and the least stabilization effect was observed in low (90-180mOsmol/L) and median concentrations of glucose.
Key words: Glucose, Mercuric chloride, Osmotic stability, Sahel goat, Saline, Sucrose
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