DefinePK

Abstract

Background and Objectives Pumpkin leaves Telfairia occidentalis are extensively used in homes in Nigeria and some West African countries for soup making and sometimes extracted in water for drinking as medicament for stimulating erythropoiesis. The present study was aimed at evaluating the in vitro effect of pumpkin leaves extract on human erythrocytes with an interest in obtaining base data on the phyto-toxicity. Materials and Methods Pumpkin leaves weighing 250 g was extracted in 250 mL cold distilled water to obtain a stock solution of 1 g mL1501 pumpkin leaves extract. The stock solution was further diluted in sterile test tubes to obtain a concentration range of 10, 20, 40 and 640 g m1501 by using cold sterile distilled water. The test required the addition of 0.5 mL of each pumpkin leaves extracted concentration to a sterile test tube containing 2.5 mL of 5 human erythrocyte in sterile physiological saline and allowed to remain at room temperature 271C for 30 min. The hemolysis occurring in the tubes was read spectrophotometrically Cornings at 540 nm wavelength along with the neat and saline control. Results The absorbance reading reflected corresponding increase in the concentration of pumpkin leaves extract by using phosphate. This showed a significant increase in toxicity in vitro as the concentration gradient was increased, the least concentration with stability of the erythrocyte in vitro as compared with the phosphate buffer is termed an equivalent for the determination of toxicity in erythrocyte in vitro-in vivo by other phyto products. Conclusion The data obtained from this study has value in determining phytotoxicity with pumpkin leaves and any other phyto-products on human erythrocytes with all its determining variables in consideration.