Abstract:
Background: Blood coagulation disorders are common and existing treatment for these disorders
often have serious side effects. Therefore, it is useful to formulate a novel safer anticoagulant
medication using herbal extracts supported by scientific evidence validating its ethnomedical and
pharmacological applications. Bridelia retusa has a diverse range of natural phytochemicals that
possess antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities in
different parts of the plant.
Objectives: To evaluate in vitro anticoagulation activity of crude extract of the bark of B. retusa
Methods: This was a lab based experimental study. Initially, methanol crude extract of B. retusa
bark was prepared using the maceration method. Then the extract was subjected to a qualitative
phytochemical screening. The anticoagulation property was assessed using four different
concentration series (5, 10, 15, 20 mg/mL) of crude extract dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide
(DMSO) using 20 healthy individuals' blood. Heparin (0.04 mg/mL) and DMSO were taken as the
positive control, and negative control, respectively. For each set of test tubes 1 mL of blood and
50 µL of prepared crude extract solution were added. Then the clotting time was evaluated
according to the Lee and White method.
Results: The preliminary phytochemical screening revealed that extraction contained alkaloids,
phenols, flavonoids, tannins, sugar, proteins and saponins. All four concentration series showed
greater anticoagulant effects than negative control and 20 mg/mL concentration took maximum
time (6.61±1.66 min) for coagulation compared with other concentration series and positive
control (5.92±1.49 min).
Conclusion: The methanolic crude extract of B. retusa bark is having anticoagulant activity.
Further studies are needed to check the activity in separated compounds of the crude extract.
