EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF METHANOL FRACTION OF Detarium microcarpum STEM BARK ON (in vitro) HAEMOGLOBIN POLYMERIZATION

ABSTRACT

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 Dichloromethane (DCM) 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 89.33%. This was most significant (p<0.05) at t/20min which was 9.80% and t/60min which was[u1]  14.45% against the control which was17.34% and 40.47% A similar trend was also observed when D. microcarpum extract was compared to the standard (p-hydrozybenzoic acid; reference antisickling drug) with a significant (p<0.05) percentage reduction of 58.50% at t/90min when compared to the Control. This result shows an inhibition of haemoglobin polymerization in the test group treated with D. microcapum. It could be that DCM fraction of D. microcarpum extract altered the polymerization of deoxyHbS which could be as a result of the bioactive constituents possessed by D. microcarpum. This could serve some potential benefits to finding plants that could help in the management of sickle cell disease.