Effect on some haematological indices of human whole blood when aqueous leaf extract of Euphorbia heterophylla was used as storage anticoagulant

Abstract

Properties of red blood cells, especially cell size and red cell indices related to size, change with time in stored blood samples. Laboratory anticoagulants have certain drawbacks. For example, heparin has no preservative property on whole blood while K 3 EDTA (EDTA) is toxic and damages platelets. The search for novel anticoagulants with better hematological profile is therefore necessary. The anticoagulant properties of aqueous leaf extract of Euphorbia heterophylla (aka ito in Igbo) were compared with those of K 3 EDTA. Specifically, the effect of this extract and K 3 EDTA on packed cell volume (PCV) and red cell indices related to size, when they were used as anticoagulants, were compared. 0.5 ml of serial dilutions of this extract were placed in specimen bottles containing 2 ml fresh human whole blood and stored for 15 days at 4°C. For control, 2 ml fresh human whole blood was added to specimen bottles containing 1.5 mg/ml EDTA and stored for 15 days at 4°C. Thereafter, the test and control samples were analyzed for PCV, MCV, MCH and MCHC using haematology autoanalyser (Erma Inc, PCE-210). All concentrations of the extract used, except 65 mg/ml, and the K 3 EDTA were able to keep the blood samples in fluid state throughout the 15 days period of storage. At the level of significance, p < 0.05, this extract had comparable preservative effect on MCV and MCH (p = 0.79; 0.20), but less preservative effect on PCV and MCHC when compared with EDTA (p = 0.013; 0.049). The aqueous leaf extract of Euphorbia heterophylla has preservative properties on haematological indices of stored human whole blood compare to that of K 3 EDTA. The fact that it does not chelate calcium as its mechanism of anticoagulation gives it an advantage over K 3 EDTA when used for biochemical tests. It should therefore, be explored as alternative laboratory anticoagulant in view of this advantage.

Subacute and Subchronic Oral Toxicity Assessments of the Aqueous Extract of Euphorbia heterophylla Linn Leaves in Female Sprague Dawley Rats

“…In severe cases, it could also present as thrombocytosis, and may cause organ damage due to blood clot in organs. However, Ugachukwu et al (32) reported that the aqueous leaf extract of E. heterophylla had a good anticoagulant effect on human whole blood. The nonsignificant differences of WBC, lymphocytes, granulocytes, and mid cells suggest that the plant extract had no toxic effects on the immune system in the subacute and subchronic toxicity studies.…”

Potential of Ethanol Extracted Secondary Metabolites of Plants from Thal Desert (Pakistan) for In vitro Changes in Haematological Indices

“…The increase in haemoglobin (MCH and MCHC) causes oxygen transport to the tissues. An increase or decrease in blood attributes might be owed to free radical scavenging activity of extract, anticoagulation by extract [41]; antiuglycosylation [64]; thrombolytic potential [42] or by genotoxicity [65]. The practical application of the plant secondary metabolites should be based upon their careful and extensive study regarding medicinal and toxicological nature.…”

“…The Ethanol used was of high purity. Human blood from a healthy volunteer was utilized for in vitro assessment of haemotological indices [41][42]. Means of three replicates for each sample were used to reduce the error for comparison with normal blood characteristics.…”

Atherogenic and Haematologic Indices of Paracetamol- Overdosed Albino Rats Treated With Aqueous Leaf Extracts of Euphorbia Heterophylla and Jatropha Curcas

“…It was also observed that oral administration of aqueous leaf extract of the plant significantly reduced plasma glucose concentration of experimental induced diabetes in rats [9]. Aqueous leaf extract of E. heterophylla has also been reported to have good anticoagulant and preservative effect on human whole blood [10].…”