Pre-clinical protective potentials of Carica papaya constituents in experimentally induced anemia

Anemia is a pathological condition characterized by reduced oxygen bioavailability and/or changes in hematological parameters. This study investigated the anti-anemic activities of Carica papaya (CP) phytoconstituents in aluminium-chloride-induced anemic rats.

Twenty-seven rats were randomized into nine groups of three rats as follows; group 1 was the normal (non-induced) group, 2-9 were anemic rats administered 1 mL distilled water, standard drug (3 mg/kg body weight (bw) ferrous sulphate), 100, 300 and 500 mg/kg bw of crude methanolic extract of CP (CMECP) of the leaf and 100, 300 and 500 mg/kg bw of CMECP of the seed respectively in the first stage of the study. In the second stage, thirty-three rats were randomized into eleven groups of three rats as follows; group 1 was the normal group, 2-11 were anemic rats treated with 1 mL distilled water, standard drug, 75 mg/kg bw, 150 mg/kg of alkaloid fraction of CP seed, 75 mg/kg bw, 150 mg/kg bw of flavonoid fraction of CP seed, 75 mg/kg bw and 150 mg/kg of alkaloid fraction of CP leaf, 75 mg/kg bw and 150 mg/kg bw of flavonoid fraction of CP leaf respectively.

Treatment of anemic rats with CP extracts and fractions of the seed and leaf significantly reversed the hematological parameters and body weight of anemic rats in a dose independent fashion. The CMECP leaf at 100 and 500 mg/kg gave PCV of 42.50±0.50 and 47.00±0.50, while the seed gave 49.50±0.50 and 42.50±0.50 respectively after 2 weeks of treatment. However, the alkaloid and flavonoid fraction of CP presented better anti-anemic properties probably due to constituents' synergism.

This study concluded that CP possesses phytoconstituents which potentiates it as a safe anti-anemic drug candidate.