ANTISICKLING ACTIVITY AND MINERAL CONTENT OF HURA CREPITANS L., ALTERNANTHERA BETTZICKIANA (REGLE) G. NICHOLSON AND DISSOTIS BRAZZAE COGN, PLANTS USED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SICKLE CELL DISEASE IN KWILU PROVINCE, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

Jules M. Kitadi, Clément L. Inkoto, Emmanuel M. Lengbiye, Damien S.T. Tshibangu, Dorothée D. Tshilanda, Koto-Te-Nyiwa Ngbolua, K.M. Taba, BM Mbala, Brigitte Schmitz, Pius T. Mpiana*

ABSTRACT

This study was initiated to determine the qualitative and quantitative mineral composition and the antisickling activity of three plants mostly used in Congolese traditional medicine for the management of sickle cell disease in Kwilu province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the mineral composition of the leaves of Alternanthera bettzickiana, Dissotis brazzae and the barks of Hura crepitans harvested in Kwilu province were carried out using the fluorescence spectrometric and ICP-OES methods. The results obtained in this study showed that 23 mineral elements were present in the three plants studied, including macroelements such as Potassium (K), Phosphorus (P), Calcium (Ca), Sodium (Na), Magnesium (Mg), Sulfur (S), Chlorine (Cl) and micro elements such as: Aluminum (Al), Silicon (Si), Vanadium (V), Chrome (Cr), Manganese (Mn), Iron (Fe), Nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Selenium (Se), Bromine (Br), Molybdenum (Molybdenum), Tin (Sn), Barium (Ba) and Lead (Pb). Some of these elements are related to sickle cell disease, such as Iron, Zinc, Selenium, Copper, Calcium, Magnesium and Manganese. Calcium and potassium were found in higher content while lead, brome, copper and nickel were found in trace content. The crude extracts of these plants have showed good correction of sickling of red blood cells which pass from the sickled form to the normal one. It has been also found that, the anthocyanins extracted from these three plants increase the hydration ability of red blood cells.

Keywords: Hura crepitans, Alternanthera bettzickiana, Dissotis brazzae, sickle cell anemia, mineral elements, fluorescence.