Investigation of Anti-Sickling Effect of Henna In-Vitro

Sickle cells anemia is a common disease in Oman. Sickle cell disease is characterized by the formation of sickle shaped cells. Sickle cells obstruct blood vessels and reduce oxygen transportation this is illustrated by severe painful crises. It was suggested that henna (Lawsonia inermis) can inhibit the formation of sickle cells. Lawsone (2-Hydroxy-1,4-Naphthoquinone) is the molecule responsible for anti-sickling activity of henna by increasing oxygen affinity of red blood cells. This project aimed to investigate the ability to henna to reduce the formation of sickle cells in low oxygen tension conditions. The anti-sickling activity of henna was carried out by incubating aqueous and methanolic henna extracts with sickle cell disease patient’s whole blood. Then 2% sodium bisulphite was added to reduce oxygen tension. After that, the percentage of sickled cells to normal red blood cells was observed at 30 minutes intervals. Henna showed a delay in sickling process in 84% of the tested samples. According to the results significant antisickling activity was demonstrated by the henna extracts. Both aqueous and methanolic henna extracts showed the ability to delay sickling for about an hour.