title: Decreased thrombin activity by a Congolese herbal medicine used in sickle cell anemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aqueous extracts from Ceiba pentandra (Malvaceae/Bombacoideae) and Quassia africana (Simaroubaceae) are used as crude medicines for the management of sickle cell anemia (SCA) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). Since it is postulated that the pathogenesis of SCA is associated with an increased blood coagulation activity, the present study is conducted to determine the effect of the two extracts on the coagulation by assessing the thrombin activity and the plasma clotting time.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thrombin activity was measured by chromogenic assay in the presence of the aqueous extracts (10, 100 or 200 µg/ml); and plasma clotting times were measured by activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombin time (PT) in the presence of C. pentandra (10, 100 or 200 µg/ml) and Q. africana (5, 20 or 50 µg/ml).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reduced thrombin activity and prolonged plasma clotting time measured by APTT were observed in the presence of C. pentandra extract only. However, plasma clotting time measured by PT was not modified by the use of the two extracts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that the aqueous extract of C. pentandra may contain active components that reduce the thrombin activity and prolong the plasma clotting time by affecting the coagulation intrinsic pathway.
authors.affiliation: Organization for Frontier Research, Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokuriku University, Ho-3 Kanazawa-machi, Kanazawa 920-1181, Japan.
authors.forename: Marie Miezi
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Nsimba
authors.forename: José Nzunzu
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Lami
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hayakawa
authors.forename: Chika
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaji
mesh_terms: D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D035164:Ceiba; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo; D006801:Humans; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D010314:Partial Thromboplastin Time; D024301:Plant Bark; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots; D011517:Prothrombin Time; D032271:Quassia; D013917:Thrombin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D013917:Thrombin
keywords: Antithrombin III; Ceiba pentandra (L.) gaertn; Plasma clotting time; Quassia africana baill; Sickle cell anemia; Thrombin