Abstract

ANTISICKLING PROPERTIES OF AZADIRACHTA INDICA A. JUSS LEAVES, FRUITS, AND STEM EXTRACTS

Devshree Verma, Meena Sahu and K. K. Harris*

Abstract

Antisickling activities of Azadirachta indica leaves, fruits and stem extracts showed the presence of phenols, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins and tannins suggesting its medicinal properties, making it widely used in traditional medicines. The inhibitory activities for different concentrations of extracts revealed maximum inhibition activity (IA) of 72.64% in leaves in a concentration of 10 mg/ml; fruit showed a IA of 70.02% in a concentration of 10.00 mg/ml; while the stems showed a IA of 72.70% in a concentration of 0.5mg/ml and the reversal of sickled Erythrocyte for different concentrations of extracts revealed maximum reversal activity (RA) of 73.49% in leaves in a concentration of 5.0 mg/ml; fruit showed a RA of 72.39% in a concentration of 5.0 mg/ml; while the stems showed a RA of 68.04% in a concentration of 1.5 mg/ml. Presence of these compounds justifies the anti-sickling properties possessed by this plant. In the light of the results of phytochemical analysis of the leaves, fruits and stem of Azadirachta indica A. JUSS we may conclude that the antisickling properties possessed by the plant is due to the underlying phytochemicals present in the plants. Further research towards formulation of an effective remedy, containing phytochemicals from plants possessing antisickling properties, in various concentrations, for the relief of over 270 million Global Sickle Cell Disease patients during the Crisis Stage of the disease needs to be initiated.

Keywords: Azadirachta indica, Phytochemistry, Antisickling activity, Sickle Cell Disease, Raipur, Chhattisgarh.