ISSN 2169-3048
International Journal of Biochemistry and Biotechnology ISSN: 2169-3048 Vol. 1 (9), pp. 226-229, December , 2012. © International Scholars Journals
Full length Research paper
Antisickling potential of the ethanol seed extracts of Vigna unguiculata and Vigna subterranean
Egba I. Simeone2, Emmanuel N. Tufon1*, Ogugua N. Victor2 and Ndohnui N. Noel1
1Department of Medical Biochemistry, St Louis University of Health and Biomedical Sciences Mile Three Nkwen Bamenda, Cameroon.
2Department of Medical Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
Received 30 October 2012; Accepted 06 December 2012
Abstract
Natural plant products have been used in Nigerian folk medicine in the management of sickle cell anemia by inhibiting sickling. This work was therefore aimed at investigating the Antisickling potential of the ethanol seed extract of Vigna unguiculata (E1) and Vigna subterranean (E2) used in the Nigerian herbal medicine with a view of proposing an effective herbal recipe for the management of sickle cell disease. Preliminary phytochemistry, sickling inhibition test, sickling reversal test and polymerization test were carried out using standard methods. The phytochemical analysis indicated the presence of saponins, reducing sugar, carbohydrate, fats and oil, steroids, glycosides, alkaloids and proteins in E1 and the presence of flavonoids, saponins, carbohydrates, fats and oil, resins, terpenoids, steroids, glycosides, alkaloids and proteins in E2. The results of the antisickling test showed that E1 and E2 had significantly (p<0.05) higher antisickling effect than the Hbss control with E1 showing a higher percentage than E2. The percentage sickling reversal effect of E1 was slightly lower than E2 but their reversal of sickling were significantly higher than the control. The result of the polymerization showed that both extracts significantly (p<0.05) increased delayed time before polymerization at 50, 25 and 12% concentrations compared to the control. From the results, the extracts Vigna Unguiculata and Vigna Subterranean have shown to be therapeutically beneficial in the management of sickle cell disease and thus are strongly recommended by this study to be developed into supplements for the management of sickle cell disease.
Key words: sickle cell disease, Vigna unguiculata, Vigna subterranean, polymerization, antisickling, sickling reversal.