ANTISICKLING PROFILE OF TWO ETHNOMEDICINAL PLANT RECIPES OF EUPHORBIACEAE AND ASTERACEAE FAMILY

Abstract

Two ethnomedicinal plant recipes of Euphorbiaceae and Asteraceae used in the management of Sickle Cell Anaemia (SCA) were studied for their antisickling activities. Using methanolic extracts, in vitro antisickling activities were evaluated using p-hydroxybenzoic acids and normal saline as positive and negative controls, respectively. Phytochemical screening of the extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, anthraquinones, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, saponins and tannins in recipe 1 except that alkaloids and flavonoids were absent in recipe 2. Antisickling activities of extracts showed 80.1% inhibition by recipe 1 whereas 62.3% in recipe at 120 min incubation. It justifies the use of these plants by traditional practitioner in the treatment of anemia.