MEMBRANE STABILIZING EFFECT AND ANTI-SICKLING POTENTIALS OF Trametes hirsuta (HAIRY BRACKET MUSHROOM) EXTRACT ON HUMAN HbS ERYTHROCYTES

The role of fungi based nutraceuticals in the treatment and management of Sickle cell has been under exploited and thus necessitates for more research. This research, studies the potential of decoction extract of Trametes hirsuta mushroom in lysis reduction and stabilization of erythrocyte membrane integrity. Freshly harvested, washed and air-dried T. Hirsuta was ground and 1.5 dm3 of distilled water was added to 1.5 kg of the ground mushroom. The filtrate obtained after boiling for 30 min. and cooling for 2 hrs was dried using an autodesicator to give decoction extract. Volumes of 5.0 mg/mL, 10.0 mg/mL and 15.0 mg/mL of the extract were obtained via serial dilutions, while HbS erythrocytes were obtained by centrifuging 5.0 mL of HbS-blood mixed in 5.0 mL of 0.9 % physiological saline. HbS erythrocytes treated with 15 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL had the highest and the lowest lysis at 50% mark. Lowest median corpuscular fragility was observed in erythrocytes suspended in 10.0 mg/mL of extract, while negative percentage stability were observed in erythrocytes suspended in 10.0 mg/mL and 5.0 mg/mL of extract. The control had the highest hemoglobin polymerization, while morphological stability was highest (89.40 + 4.61 %) after 5 min. of culturing in 10.0 mg/mL of extract. The ability of this mushroom extract to stabilize erythrocyte membrane integrity and reduce the progression of lysis shows that this mushroom can be exploited as a possible nutraceutical means in both the management and treatment of sickle cell anemia and its associated crises.