The Reversion of Sickled Cells by Cajanus cajan

Abstract

Boiled and crude ethanolic extracts of edible Cajanus cajan beans were prepared and used for in vitro studies involving 14 individual blood samples obtained from confirmed sickle cell (HbSS) patients. It was demonstrated that the extracts were able not only to inhibit sickling in sodium metabisulphite solution, but also quickly reverted to normal morphology, already sickled erythrocytes. There was also a noticeable improvement in the general morphology of the sickle cell erythrocytes after coming into contact with the plant extracts.