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Abstract
Reports have shown that extracts of Detarium Microcarpum possess potent pharmacological properties. The aim of this research was to investigate the in vitro antisickling property of ethyl acetate extracts of Detarium Microcarpum stem bark. The stem bark was first ground to powder and soaked in ethyl acetate to obtain an ethyl acetate soluble fraction. The sickling of the red blood cells (RBCs) was introduced using sodium metabisulphite followed by treatment with ethyl acetate extract, Phosphate buffer saline and p-hydroxybenzoic acid. Sickling of red cells occur as a result of polymerization of deoxygenated HbS molecules, so that, they become stacked linearly. In vitro studies have revealed that plant extracts altered the polymerization of deoxyHbS molecules. Therefore, the present study was aimed at determining the effect of Detarium microcarpum stem back on haemoglobin polymerization. About 5ml of venous blood was collected from each Sickle cell patient with a sterile syringe. The blood samples were washed thrice with Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) using standard procedures and the resulting packed cell was used for haemoglobin polymerization assay. Detarium microcarpum is a legume tree shrub belonging to the family of Fabacae. Its roots, stem bark, leaves and fruits are known to possess medicinal properties. The in vitro haemoglobin polymerization properties of Ethyl Acetate (EA) fraction of D. microcarpum stem bark was evaluated using blood samples obtained from forty confirmed sickle cell disease patients using standard techniques. At the end of the research it was observed that D. microcarpum extract significantly (p<0.05) reduced polymerization of haemoglobin at t/90min with a reduction of about 46.05% when compared to the control (PBS+HbSS Blood sample) which was 90%. This was most significant (p<0.05) at t/40min which was 20% and t/90min which was 46.05% against the control which was 25% and 90%. A similar trend was also observed when D. microcarpum extract was compared to the standard (p-hydrozybenzoic acid; reference antisickling drug) with a significant xi (p<0.05) percentage reduction of 70% at t/90min when compared to the Control. This result shows an inhibition of haemoglobin polymerization in the test group treated with D. microcarpum. Conclusively, the study showed that the extract of Detarium Microcarpum exacerbated polymerization of deoxyHbS molecules in a concentration and time dependent manner. The Ethyl Acetate extract of Detarium Microcarpum demonstrated the most significant antisickling effect with a potential for use in the clinical management of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).
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