Effects of aqueous extracts of <i>Zanthoxylum macrophylla</i> roots on membrane stability of human erythrocytes of different genotypes

Abstract

The effects of aqueous extract of Zanthoxylum macrophylla (formerly Fagara xanthoxyloides) roots on the membrane stabilities of human erythrocyte from HbAA, HbAS and HbSS blood were investigated. The determination of mean corpuscular fragility (MCF), which is the concentration of saline causing 50% haemolysis of the erythrocytes, showed that the aqueous plant extract increased the MCF values of the various erythrocytes. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between the MCF values of HbAA and HbAS erythrocytes. However, significant difference (p