The search for an effective treatment for sickle cell disease with less adverse effects have had researchers trying out many nutrients derived from plants and animals as possible and reliable option for the effective management of sickle cell disease.
Expert believe that probably by augmenting abnormally low levels of certain micronutrients in sickle cell blood or certain dietary constituent such as thiocyanate, this might help ensure they are healthy. For instance, thery found that Ascorbic acid (or micro-nutrients such as zinc) is beneficial in ensuring that persons living with sickle cell disease have less incidences of severe anaemia and sickle cell crisis.
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects red blood cells. People with sickle cell disease have red blood cells that contain mostly hemoglobin S, an abnormal type of hemoglobin. Sometimes these red blood cells become sickle-shaped (crescent shaped) and have difficulty passing through small blood vessels.
When sickle-shaped cells block small blood vessels, less blood can reach that part of the body. Any tissue that does not receive a normal blood flow eventually becomes damaged. This is what causes the complications of sickle cell disease. There is currently no universal cure for sickle cell disease.
While the disease may affect various ethnic groups such as the people of the Hispanic and Middle East descent, it affects those of African descent, the more. Due to a rapid destruction of sickle-shaped red blood cells in the body of people with the disease, this leads to anaemia jaundice and the formation of gallstones.
The sickled cells also block the flow of blood through vessels resulting in lung tissue damage, pain episodes (arms, legs, chest and abdomen), stroke and priapism (painful prolonged erection). It also causes damage to most organs including the spleen, kidneys and liver.
Several root crops, spices, fruits and vegetables have been prescribed for persons with sickle cell disease. Some ripe fruit juices, edible legumes and free amino acids were shown in under laboratory conditions to reverse the sickle-shaped red blood cells.
A new study titled, “In vitro antisickling effects of Xylopia aethiopica and Monodora myristica” have just added these spices to the list of food items that can help alleviate problems associated with sickle cell disease. The study was published in the June edition of the Journal of Medicinal Plants Research. It was carried out by Dr. A. A Uwakwe from the Department of Biochemistry, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria and Dr. R.N. Nwaoguikpe from the Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Nigeria.
Meanwhile, studies have reported Xylopia aethiopica commonly called African guinea pepper to possess medicinal and nutritional values. In folk medicine, it is used for the treatment of biliousness, bronchitis and dysentery. Its chemical constituents include essential oils, resin, alkaloids, tannins, oxalate and flavonoids as well as vitamins, A, B, C, D, E, proteins, and minerals.
Monodora myristica (nutmeg) is found in tropical Africa. The fruits contain brown-oval seeds, which have a mint smell. It is the seed that is used as spice. Its chemical constituents include resin, terpene, lactose, arocine, saponins, flavonoids and tannins. Nutmeg is used to prepare pepper soup as a stimulant to relieve constipation, mild fever and control passive bleeding from the womb immediately after childbirth.
Testing the extracts of guinea pepper and nutmeg on blood samples that were collected from patients confirmed to have sickle cell disease, the reseachers found that irrespective of using the water, chloroform, methanol or butanol extract of these spices, they were able to prevent red blood cells becoming sickle in shape to varying extents- from 70 per cent to 90 per cent in 15 minutes.
Also, the study stated that the crude and the water extracts of these spices equally improved the oxygen affinity of the red blood cells. Further analysis of the spices showed that they contain some antisickling amino acids such as Arginine and Tyrsine at varying concentrations.
From the results, the crude aqueous extracts of the spices had the highest antisickling effectiveness, ensure better oxygen carriage by the blood and reversion of red blood cells that had developed sickle shape. From their results, the experts suggested that these spices when used in combination with other nutritious regimen like fruits, fish and legumes, might be a promising option for the effective management of sickle cell disease and its many complications.
Given that many chemical substances ingested by breast-feeding mothers find their way into breast milk, they suggested that mothers should eat more of these spices in order that it might help prevent Sickle cell disease crisis even in their babies.
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