Attenuation of <i>Plasmodium Berghei berghei</i> -induced Bone Marrow Suppression by Bark Extract and fractions of <i>Chrysophyllum albidum</i> on bone marrow response to haemolytic conditions in male albino mice

Abstract

Chrysophyllum albidum is a tropical plant in Southern Nigeria. Methanol extract of Chrysophyllum albidum bark (MeCaB) has been reported to have antiplasmodial, haematinic and membrane stabilizing properties. The mechanism by which MeCaB exerts these properties is yet to be elucidated. This study therefore seeks to investigate the probable mechanism of its haematinic potential on the bone marrow in two separate anaemic studies. Mice were inoculated with plasmodium berghei bergehi while others were made anaemic by bleeding out 0.25mls of blood through the retro-orbital plexus. Smears of the femoral bone marrow from each group were prepared on days 3 and 7 of extract/drug treatment for blood precursor cell evaluation (myeloid: erythroid ratio; M:E). Groups parasitized and treated continuously for 3 days with MeCaB (PMeCaB) had significantly reduced M: E ratio (1.88+0.03) compared with parasitized untreated group (PUn) (2.33+0.00). Withdrawal of treatment with MeCaB, it’s fractions (CFr 1,2,3) and chloroquine from parasitized animals between days 4 to 7 showed significant increase in M:E ratio of PUn (5.13+0.59) and PCq (4.11+0.37) compared with PCFr 1 and 3 (1.21+0.08 and 1.69+0.00 respectively). The MeCaB only treated and group bled and treated with MeCaB (BMeCaB) continuously for 7 days had significantly reduced M:E ratio (1.67+0.00 and 1.35+0.00 respectively) compared with control, bled and treated with haematinic (2.13+0.19, 2.25+0.21 respectively). This study thus establishes that Chrysophyllum albidum exerts haematinic properties on bone marrow cells by stimulating the production of more erythroid series which reverted anaemia induced by plasmodium berghei berghei and bleeding out.

Keywords: Chrysophyllum albidum, bone marrow, anaemia, Mice.