Effect of wheat grass tablets on the frequency of blood transfusions in thalassemia major.

ABSTRACT

Forty patients of Thalassemia Major children were treated with wheat grass tablets (WGT). The mean hemoglobin in the pre WGT was 8.54 +/- 0.33 g% whereas in WGT period was 9.13 +/- 0.14 g% (p < 0.001). The mean blood transfused as packed cells in pre WGT period was 326.82 +/- 74.10ml/kg/year whereas during WGT period it was 256.39 +/- 45.47 ml/kg/ year. The percentage difference in the amount of packed cells transfused in pre WGT and WGT period was 18.02 +/- 22.96 (p < 0.001). The decrease in the blood transfusion requirements was by 25% or more in 20 (60.6%) cases. The mean interval between the consecutive blood transfusions in Pre WGT period was 18.78 ± 4.48 days whereas in WGT period was 24.16 ± 4.78 days (p < 0.001). Wheat grass has the potential to increase the Hb levels, increase the interval between blood transfusions and decrease the amount of total blood transfused in Thalassemia Major patients.