ABSTRACT
Zingiber officinale (Ginger), a perennial herb native to Asia. They are claims that it possesses immunological properties. Allium sativum (Garlic), a perennial plant that grows from the bulb of the garlic plant. They are also claims that it has immune-modulatory properties. CD4 cells are immune cells that fight infections caused by viruses, bacteria, and other infectious micro-organisms.
The study was aimed at determining the phytochemical constituents present in the Zingiber officinale and Allium sativum extract. Also, to evaluate the effect of ginger and garlic extracts on the CD4 cells of some white albino rats.
The Zingiber officinale rhizome and Allium sativum bulb were washed, barks were peeled with a knife, cut into tiny pieces, and air dried, crushed into powder and stored in an opaque air-tight container. For the phytochemical screening, the powdered samples were transferred into separate beakers, water was added and the mixtures were boiled, filtered, and used for the phytochemical tests. For the pharmacological investigation, the 100g of Zingiber officinale and 85g Allium sativum powder were transferred into separate beakers with water, left for 72 hours, filtered, concentrated, weighed, and stored in a refrigerator until needed.
The concentrated extracts were tested for presence of alkaloids using Hager’s and Dragendroff’s reagent, carbohydrate using Molisch reagent, saponin using water, tannin using ferric chloride, phenolics using concentrated sulphuric acid and sodium nitrite, flavonoids using sodium hydroxide, and proteins using ninhydrin solution.
Each animal received an oral dose of plant extracts via an Oro-gastric tube for a period 28 days based on the dose. For the collection of blood, first anesthetized using chloroform. Blood was collected from the aorta of each albino rat and transferred into EDTA bottles. The samples were sent to the laboratory for CD4 count analysis.
The phytochemical screening confirms the presence of different compounds or constituents in the ginger and garlic extract. Zingiber officinale extract contains alkaloids, carbohydrates, tannins, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and saponins.The Allium sativum extract contains alkaloids, carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and saponins.
100mg/kg and 200mg/kg dose of the ginger extract showed the mean levels of CD4 cells to be 57.2 and 76.0 cell/ul, while 100mg/kg and 200mg/kg dose of the garlic extract the levels of CD4 cells to be 60.5 and 62.0 cell/ul respectively after 28 days of administration.
Both extracts were confirmed to have different phytochemical compounds. The study also proved the positive effect aqueous extract of ginger and garlic possess on the CD4 count of albino rat.
