Phytochemical Characterization of Three Plants and Their Antisickling Activity in the Management of Sickle Cell Disease

Natural plant products have been used by the population of the south-eastern part of Côte d’Ivoire in the management of sickle cell anemia. This study was aimed at investigating the antisickling activity of the hydro-ethanolic extract of a combination of the leaves of J. secunda, J. gossypiifolia and P. nigrescens. These three plants species were used in the Ivorian traditional herbal medicine. Preliminary phytochemistry was carried out using standard methods. As for the sickling reversal test, the Hb SS blood sickling was induced with 2% sodium metabisulfite. After 120 minutes of incubation, the plant extract was added. Every 30 minutes for a period of 120 minutes, a drop of the prepared solution was observed at (40×) magnification and the percentage of reversion calculated. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of Alkaloids, Flavonoids, Polyphenols, Catechic Tannins, Sterols and Polyterpenes. The results of the reversal test showed that the percentage of sickling reversal effect of the combination of the plants (75.00 ± 4.33b,c) was highly superior than the negative control (10.17 ± 0.55d) but was significantly (p < 0.05) the same as the percentage of the individual plant (J. secunda: 83.50 ± 2.33a;J. gossypiifolia: 78.00 ± 3.67b,c and P. nigrescens: 77.83 ± 2.89b,c) and the positive control (80.66 ± 2.22a,b). From the results, the extracts J. secunda, J. gossypiifolia and P. nigrescens have shown to be therapeutically beneficial to the population. Their use is also justified in the management of sickle cell disease in the south-eastern part of Côte d’Ivoire.