Anti-anemic properties of Pterocarpus marsupium latex and its cytotoxic and embryotoxic effects.

Abstract

Anemia is a hematological disorder, and a large number in the developing world are affected with significant morbidity and mortality. Among them, most depend on traditional medicine to strengthen the hematopoietic action. The availability, low cost, and minor side effects are thought to be associated with this high selection rate of traditional medicine. The Pterocarpus marsupium is a medicinal plant native to Sri Lanka, India, and Nepal. In which the different components are used by traditional medical practitioners in treating different disease conditions, specifically, latex in enhancing hemoglobin production in anemic patients. However, the scientific evidence for using the Pterocarpus marsupium latex as an anti-anemic agent is minimal. Therefore, this study is planned to evaluate its anti-anemic effect, erythropoietin (EPO)-like effect, toxicity, phytochemical composition, and bioactive ingredients. Consequently, we aim to apply in vitro and in vivo assays to investigate the toxicity and favorable anti-anemic and other hematopoietic potentials of the plant latex using normal human cell cultures, rat-derived hematopoietic stem cell cultures, zebrafish embryos, and phenyl hydrazine-induced anemic rats with identification of bioactive ingredients that might mediate such potentials. If we discover a similar action of EPO in this plant latex, it would be beneficial in the way of treating anemia-associated disease conditions such as chronic renal failure, myelodysplasia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV, and cancer as a replacement for recombinant human EPO (rhEPO). This will be beneficial in the way of reducing the high cost of rhEPO treatment as well. Finally, an attempt to discover a therapeutic agent for anemia from a safe, natural source will considerably contribute to traditional medicine/herbalism due to the crucial role of traditional medicine in the prophylaxis or therapy of hematological diseases in Sri Lanka. Keywords: Pterocarpus marsupium; Indian kino; Anemia; Toxicity; Latex; Erythropoietin