In vitro methaemoglobin reducing capacity of the methanolic extract of the root, stem and leaf of Sclerocaya birrea on human hemoglobin S

Abstract

Red blood cells frrom individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) are more susceptible with in vivo oxidative damage than are RBC from normal individuals. RBC oxidative damage in SCD is due to the inherent instabilty of hemoglobin S (HBS) as well as the impaired anti-oxidant defense system. The ability of the methanolic extract of S birrea to reduce the level of oxidative stress were eveluated in vitro. The results obtained shown that, the root methanolic extract significantly (p>0.05) decrease in the methamoglobin level at 0.8g/ml from 15.00±0.21% to 7.0±0.26%, while the stem bark significantly(p>0.05) decrease the level of methamoglobin concentration from 15.00±0.1% to 2.96±0.37%, at concentration of 0.8g/ml. The leaves extract gave a significant decrease in methamoglobin concentration from 15.00±0.1% to 3.63±0.05%. The findings suggest that different parts of S birrea possess antioxidant capacity by reducing the methamoglobin concentration to justify its uses in tradtional medicine againts sickle cell diseases

Keywords: Hemoglobin S; Methaemoglobin; Sclerocaya Birrea; sickle cell disease