Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: Chromolaena odorata and Tithonia diversifolia have been combined as folkloric treatment for pediatric anemia. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of this pharmacology has not been established. This study sought to establish the effects of these plants on erythropoietin (kidney), and erythropoietin receptor (bone marrow) expression and to monitor cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, and FasL/FAS signaling mechanism therefrom.

Materials and methods: Cold-water extracts of fresh leaves of Chromolaena odorata and Tithonia diversifolia were administered individually and in combination on young Wistar rats for 72 hr followed by RT-PCR analysis of erythropoietin (Epo), erythropoietin receptor (Epo-R), kip1.p27 (p27/cdkn1b), p21Waf1, Kip2-p57 and FAS/FASL. Western blot was used to investigate JAK2 phosphorylation in vitro in bone marrow primary culture.

Results: In the kidney, C. odorata and T. diversifolia act synergistically to up-regulate erythropoietin. Similarly, bone marrow erythropoietin receptor was upregulated synergistic. p21Waf1, Kip2-p57 were downregulated in treatment groups. It was also observed that T. diversifolia alone is sufficient to up-regulate Epo-R in the bone marrow. The combination of C. odorata and T. diversifolia failed to evoke JAK2 phosphorylation in vitro in bone marrow,

Conclusion: The combination of C. odorata and T. diversifolia indeed stimulate erythropoietin expression but not via erythropoietin receptor agonism.

Chromolaena odorata; Tithonia diversifolia; erythropoiesis; cyclin-depedent kinase inhibitor.