The Potential of Spinach (Spinacia olarecea) Leaves Extract in Increasing Platelet Count

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

There are various diseases caused by mosquito bite and dengue virus is the most prominent and the easiest to acquire. The type of mosquito which brings the said virus is abundant in places where there are containers filled with stagnant water. Upon foraging the ways to exterminate the increasing number of dengue patients, the researchers came up with an idea of finding means on how to increase the platelet count using spinach leaves extract. It is supposed to benefit the people who are suffering from low platelet count caused by the dengue virus, and to help the pharmaceutical industry to create a cost-effective treatment starting off by experimenting with different concentration levels.

METHODS

The researchers used four female rabbits for the study. They got the initial platelet count of the rabbits and had undergone acclimatization. The researchers worked on the extraction on the spinach leaves using 95% of Ethyl Alcohol for 48 hours. The Ethyl Alcohol present in the extract was then evaporated. After that, the spinach leaves extract with 25%, 50 %, and 100 % concentration was administered to the four female rabbits respectively, twice a day, for three days. The final platelet count of the four female rabbits was taken and compared with the initial count; and the concentration that is most effective among the three, shall be compared to the 75% concentration of Spinach leaves extract.

RESULTS

The T-test showed that the t-computed value of 2.5 taken from the 100% concentration is greater than the t-tabular value of 2.35 at0.05 level of significance with 3 degrees of freedom.

DISCUSSIONS

This concluded that the spinach leaves extract with 100% concentration was more effective compared to 75% in increasing the platelet count.