Phytochemicals as potential therapeutics for thrombocytopenia

Medical knowledge has always relied on plants as the main sources of important beneficial compounds. Many species have been recognized to have medicinal properties and beneficial impact on health, e.g. antioxidant activity, digestive stimulation action, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, hypolipidemic, antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic potential. This review focuses on the promising role of plants and their products in attenuating thrombocytopenia, a common and complex bleeding disorder. When the platelet count decreases below 150,000/µl, it causes thrombocytopenia. This bleeding disorder is observed in 2.5 % of the normal population. The risk of spontaneous muco-cutaneous bleeding and life threatening intracranial haemorrhage or gastrointestinal bleeding increases rapidly when the platelet count decreases below 10,000/µl. The inability to provide supportive treatment to increase the platelet counts often proves fatal to patients. Currently, treatment for thrombocytopenia includes use of drugs or splenectomy or platelet transfusions, in severe cases. Recently, studies have shown platelet augmenting activity of various plant extracts. The effectiveness, toxicity and side effects of the phytochemicals have to be critically evaluated in clinical trials. An in depth understanding of the role and mechanism of these phytochemicals would lead to their successful implementation in treatment and management of thrombocytopenia and other related bleeding disorders.