Studies On The Antisickling Activities Of Carica Papaya Dried Leaf Extract

ABSTRACT

Sickle Cell Anemia (Drepanocytosis) is a genetically inherited disease that affects the red blood cell hemoglobin. In vivo, sickled erythrocytes tend to block capillaries, causing stasis, and thereby starve organs of both nutrients and oxygen and eventually cause hypofunction or complete tissue destruction. In an attempt to find new types of antisickling agents that are cost effective and specifically inhibits the sickling phenomenon without undesirable consequences, this research study examined the antisickling potential of a phytomedicine, Carica papaya sundried fruit bearing leaves for possible fulfillment of this criterion. This study further attempts to elucidate the active components and mechanism of action of the antisickling papaya leaf compared with a few other antisickling phytomedicines. Phytochemical screening and proximate nutrient analyses of the aqueous and organic extracts of Carica propaya (sun-dried) leaves confirmed the presence of nutrients, antioxidant vitamins, micronutrients, alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, anthraquinones and phenolic compounds, which may be responsible for their observed antioxidant activities. Studies on the toxicity profile of the aqueous and organic extracts of papaya leaves on normal (HbAA) rats showed the absence of cyanogenic glycosides, orally administered extracts had no significant lethal or acute toxicity effects on body tissues and organs. Fragilograms and! hematological analyses indicated that the plant extracts reduced RBC hemolysis and protected erythrocyte membrane integrity under osmotic and oxidative stress conditions. Pretreatment of SS cell suspensions with aqueous and aqueous methanol extracts of parxaya leaf inhibited formation of sickle cells and significantly prolonged the time course for sickling under severe hypoxia with only 0-5% sickle cells at 40mins compared with untreated SS cell suspensions which had over 60% sickle cells.