Phytochemical screening, antioxidant study and hematinic property of Mojeaga herbal remedy using animal model

Abstract

Abstract Background Plants have been used as medicine since ancient time and contributed immensely to health care delivery system globally. The aim of this study was to evaluate the phytoconstituents, antioxidant and hematinic property of Mojeaga herbal remedy (Alchornea cordifolia, Sorghum bicolor and Pennisetum glaucum) in animal model. Standard protocols were used to analyze the qualitative and quantitative phytochemical, gas chromatography mass spectrum (GC–MS), and in vitro antioxidant studies (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and total antioxidant capacity were also used to assess these plants. Ninety Wistar rats of both sexes were selected for this study. They were administered with 40 mg/kg phenylhydrazine hydrochloride to induce anemia for 5 days afterward treated with oral dose of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 ml/kg Mojeaga herbal remedy for 10 days. Hematological, CD4 and CD8, and histology of the blood and bone marrow were analyzed. Results The phytochemical screening showed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, cardiac glycosides, terpenoids and phenol. Flavonoids and phenol were more in abundant (917 and 1445 mg/kg). The GC–MS analysis shows the presence of disulfide, dimethyl, 2-Methoxy-4-vinylphenol, 1-Dodecanol, 10-Phenyldecanoic acid, 8-Phenyloctanoic acid, n-Hexadecanoic acid and 15-Hydroxypentadecanoic acid. The antioxidant scavenging property showed the potential capacity of the herbal remedy to scavenge free radicals against oxidative stress at 24%, 53.8% 1609.9 µM Fe II/ g extract when compared with ascorbic acid. The hematological indexes showed a significant increase in red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentrations, mean corpuscular volume, CD4 and CD8 count at day 10 of the male and female rats with the values of RBC (6.72, 7.34, 7.10 × 106/ul) (6.78, 6.75, 6.79 × 106/ul), hematocrit (47.8, 51.5, 49.75%) (48.05, 44.80, 44.60%) and hemoglobin (16.5, 18.05, 17.1 g/dl) (16.6, 15.6, 15.75 g/dl) when compared with the control (p < 0.05). The histo-architectural structure of the bone marrow showed a stimulating effect of myeloid/erythroid cell ratio > 60 in the treatment groups when compared with 40 mg/kg phenylhydrazine alone. Conclusions In conclusion, mojeaga herbal remedy elicited hematinic property that validated the folklore report; hence, further evaluation will be required.