Evaluation of the Hematologic and Anti-thrombocytopenic Effects of Carica Papaya Leaf Extract, PsidiumGuajava Leaf Extract, and Vitamin C in Thrombocytopenia-induced ICR Mice

Abstract

An estimated 80% of the population of developing countries rely on traditional medicines, mostly plant drugs, for their primary health care needs (WHO, 2010). In the Philippines, alternative natural substances in fighting Dengue virus (DENV) had been gaining traction in the middle of uncertainties towards synthetic drug therapies. In fact, local scientists are fast-tracking their efforts to identify natural agents that can stimulate thrombocytosis, inhibit viral replication, and boosts the immune system in the hope of treating DENV. Literature pointed out that Carica papayaleaves, Psidiumguajavaleaves and Ascorbic Acid, individually or combined may be a source of these agents; thus, this experiment was conducted to investigate the hematologic and anti-thrombocytopenic effects of carica papaya leaf extract, psidiumguajava leaf extract, and vitamin c. This prospective randomized controlled animal trial study involved female ICR mice (6-7 per group), 10-12 weeks old and weighing 25-30 grams which were randomly allocated to the following groups, namely, C. papaya leaf extract, P. guajava leaf extract, Vitamin C, C. papaya (1/2) and P. guajava (1/2), C. papaya (1/2) and Vitamin C (1/2), C. papaya (1/3), P. guajava (1/3) and Vitamin C (1/3), Negative control (distilled water only), Negative control (induced with Cyclophosphamide;distilled water), and Positive control (induced with Cyclophosphamide; prednisone). The trial evaluatedthehematologic and anti-thrombocytopenic effects of carica papaya leaf extract, psidiumguajava leaf extract, and vitamin c in thrombocytopenia-induced subjects. Descriptive and inferential parametric statistics were utilized wherein the null hypothesis is tested at 0.05α and processed using IBMSPSS ver 21 software.