EVALUATION OF LEAF BASE EXTRACT OF SORGHUM BICOLOR (FAMILY: GRAMINEAE; POACEAE) FOR HAEMATOLOGICAL, IMMUNOMODULATORY AND OTHER PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES

EVALUATION OF LEAF BASE EXTRACT OF SORGHUM BICOLOR (FAMILY: GRAMINEAE; POACEAE) FOR HAEMATOLOGICAL, IMMUNOMODULATORY AND OTHER PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES

Abstract:

Sorghum bicolor is an annual plant having its different parts widely used ethnomedicinally for different ailments, which includes blood stimulation and body defence. A number of clinical conditions like cancer, surgery, certain drugs, HIV/AIDS and various stressors affect different components of the immune system thereby allowing opportunistic pathogens to overwhelm the host leading to secondary infections and mortality in such individuals. This therefore shows a great need for investigation of plants with body defence potentials to increase the catalogue of agents that can modify the immune system for subsequent drug development and clinical uses. Also, many scientific reports have shown some drugs to be efficacious, cheap and available, yet toxic. This therefore shows the importance of evaluation of safety profile of a drug intended for short and long term uses. The base of the leaves attached to the suckers of the plant were successively cold macerated with 70 % v/v methanol over 96 h period producing a yield of 23.6 % w/w extract. The blood stimulatory and body defence properties of the extract were evaluated on haematological indices (Hb, PCV, total red blood cell, total leucocyte count, differential leucocyte count, platelet, clotting time, bleeding time) and immunomodulatory models for specific and non-specific types of immunity. The evaluation of safety profile was carried out on pharmacological studies related to different body systems (CNS, PNS, GIT, CVS and reproductive systems). It was also evaluated on both acute and sub-acute toxicity models. The results were expressed as mean  SEM. One-way or two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyse 9 the results as appropriate followed by Student t-test and Least Significant Difference (LSD). P-values <0.05 were statistically significant. The extract (100 – 400 mg/kg p.o.) did not produce significant effects on most of the haematological indices (Hb, PCV, total red blood cell, total leucocyte count, bleeding time and clotting time). The results did not corroborate the ethnomedicinal use of the plant leaves for stimulation of blood production. Immunomodulatory studies showed that phagocytosis and inflammation (usually associated with non-specific type of immunity) possibly contributed strongly to the ethnomedicinal use of the leaf base for body defence. The results on the other hand showed that both B- and T-lymphocytes (associated with specific type of immunity) may not have been sensitised/activated strongly by the extract. Pharmacological studies revealed centrally-mediated activity, analgesic effect, anti-motility and anti-diarrhoeal activities of the extract. The extract did not alter the intrinsic myogenic contractions of rat atria, portal vein and uterus while the rat vas deferens were minimally contracted. The results therefore indicate that S. bicolor leaf base extract has a potential of being developed as a remedy for pain, central nervous system and gastrointestinal related problems. The acute and sub-acute toxicity evaluation also showed relative safety.

EVALUATION OF LEAF BASE EXTRACT OF SORGHUM BICOLOR (FAMILY: GRAMINEAE; POACEAE) FOR HAEMATOLOGICAL, IMMUNOMODULATORY AND OTHER PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES