Phytochemical Constituents and in-vivo Immunomodulatory Role of Sclerocarya Birrea in Benzene Induced Leukemia Mouse Model

Abstract

Pharmacological exploitation of natural compounds has lead to the development of non-synthetic and non-toxic agents that are promising at ameliorating the menace of neoplastic diseases such as leukemia. The aim of this study was to determine the phytochemical and anti-leukemic effect of Sclerocarya birrea bark (Met.S.b) methanol extract on biomarker in benzene induced leukemia mice. Leukemia was induced in mice by intravenous injection of 0.2 mL benzene solution 48 hourly for 4 weeks. Methanolic extract of Sclerocarya birrea bark was administered independently to respective treatment mice groups. A standard anti-leukemic drug (Doxorubicin and Ara-C) was also used to treat appropriate mice groups. Clinical examination of biochemical parameters were employed to assess the leukemia burden following analysis of the mice blood samples on Abacus 380 (Diatron) automated instrument. Free radical scavenging activity of Sclerocarya birrea methanol extract, other Leukemia biomarkers such as c-reactive protein, Uric Acid, Electrolytes, lactate dehydrogenase, Liver enzymes and body weights were also determined. The results obtained in benzene-induced leukaemic mice treated with Sclerocarya birrea extracts compared favourably with those observed in groups receiving the standard drug treatment (p < 0.05). The plant extract exhibited significant chemopreventive and anti-leukaemic activities comparable to those of the conventional anti-leukaemic drug (p < 0.05), as evidenced by the improvement of benzene-induced leukaemic conditions in the treated mice. These therapeutic effects may be attributed to the high concentrations of bioactive phytochemicals, including phenols, alkaloids, and flavonoids, present in the extract. The findings of this study suggest that Sclerocarya birrea has potential as a biologically active, natural, and low-toxicity candidate for the development of novel anticancer agents.