Ameliorative Effects of Some Natural Blood Boosters on Cyclophosphamide-induced Anemia in Rats

Aim: This study was carried out to investigate the hepatoprotective, cholesterol lowering, and renal effects of aqueous extracts of Jatropha tanjorensis, Beta vulgaris and Solanum melongena during cyclophosphamide-induced anemic state.

Methodology: Thirty male Wistar rats divided into six equal groups were treated for 14 days as follows; group 1 were fed normal rat chow and water, group 2-6 received a onetime intraperitoneal administration of 150 mg/kg body weight (bw) cyclosphosphamide, group 3, 4, and 5 received 100 mg/kg bw of Jathropha tanjorensis, Beta vulgaris, and Solanum melongena aqueous extract respectively, and group 6 were anemic rats treated daily with 100 mg/kg bw of mixture of Jatropha tanjorensis leaf, Beta vulgaris leaf, and Solanum melongena leaf aqueous extracts in equal volumes.

Results: Solanum melongena, and the mixture of the three blood boosters showed complete cholesterol lowering effect after alterations by cyclophosphamide. The significant increase in LDH, ALT, and AST during anemic state was normalized by Beta vulgaris, and the mixture of blood boosters completely ameliorated the alterations of cyclophosphamide on ALP. Only Solanum melongena completely ameliorated the Total Protein levels while in addition to the mixture of blood boosters normalized the Total Bilirubin levels after anemia induction. The oral treatment with Jatropha tanjorensis proved most effective in restoring the altered urea, creatinine, Na, and K levels after cyclophosphamide induced anemia, while the mixture of blood boosters, and Beta vulgaris significantly normalized the serum Fe and Cl levels.

Conclusion: The study has established the required empirical pharmacological evidence to support the folklore claims that these blood boosters investigated, are antianemic agents.