Screening of herbal extracts influencing hematopoiesis and their chemical genetic effects in embryonic zebrafish

ABSTRACT

Objective: To screen the herbal extracts influencing the hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in zebrafish embryos and their chemical genetic effects. Methods: The herbals used in this study had been widely applicable in Siddha medicines in South India. Herbal extracts were treated in zebrafish embryos at 4 d post fertilization and the extracts inducing the HSC were enumerated in hemocytometer. The biocompatibility and the organogenesis of the screened extracts were assessed in the zebrafish embryos for their chemical genetic effects. The LC50 values were calculated with their parallel control. The blood cells were enumerated. Results: The level of RBC was found increased in the Bergera koenigii (B. koenigii) at 15 μg/mL (P<0.05), Mimosa pudica (M. pudica) at 20 μg/mL (P<0.05) and Solanum trilobatum (S. trilobatum) at 25 μg/mL (P<0.05) and decreased RBC level was found in Phyllanthus niruri (P. niruri) at 30 μg/mL (P<0.05). The WBC count was found increased in S. trilobatum at 20 μg/mL (P<0.05) and Annona muricata (Annona muricata) at 15 μg/mL (P<0.05) and the Vitis quadrangularis (V. quadrangularis) at 20 μg/mL (P<0.05) decreased the WBC level. There were no notable effects in heart beats and the chemical genetic effects were observed at higher concentration of the extract resulting in Pericardial bulging, trunk tail flexure with heart edema, fin fold deformities etc. Conclusions: This in vivo based screening of Hematopoiesis is an inexpensive assay to screen herbal compounds and found that S. trilobatum extract influenced embryonic HSC in zebrafish, which could be a therapeutic for blood related disorders.