T-AYU-HM™- An antisickling Herbo-Mineral from traditional Indian system of Medicine-an AYURVEDA
Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder which affects the red blood cells(RBCs) .The
RBCs of people with sickle cell disease contain a different form of hemoglobin called
haemoglobin ‘S’. This is an abnormal type of hemoglobin and RBCs containing this
hemoglobin become sickle shaped .They also become stiff ,and due their distorted shape
they have difficulty in passing through small blood vessels .When these sickle cells ,
thus block the blood vessels less blood reaches that part of the body. Tissue that does not
receive the normal blood flow eventually gets damaged .This is the main cause of the
various complications including increased incidence of infections encountered in sickle
cell disease.
The normal RBCs containing normal hemoglobin( called “Hemoglobin A’)not only are
soft and round but also live up to about 120 days before new ones replace them.
However the RBCs from people suffering from sickle cell disease hardly have a life of
about 30 –35 days. The bone marrow can not make the new red blood cells fast enough
to replace the dying ones. This results in severe anemia-which is one of the main symptoms of this disease .Sickle cell anemia affects millions of people world wide.
Sickle cell disease is an inherited, life long condition. People who have sickle cell
anaemia are born with it. They inherit two copies of the sickle gene from each parent.
Sickle cell disease is prevalent world over including India. The major features of the
sickle cell disease encountered in these patients include chronic fatigue, severe anaemia,
pain crises, bacterial infections, lung ,liver and heart injury, leg ulcers, damage to the eye
inflammation of the hands and feet, arthritis, spleenomegaly and chronic lung
infections etc.
Though efforts have been made to control many of the symptoms and complications of
the disease ,the results are far from satisfactory in providing lasting cure and comfort to
the sickle cell patient .Usually the health maintenance for these patients starts with early
diagnosis ,preferably in the newborn period and includes penicillin prophylaxis,
vaccination against potential bacterial disease and folic acid supplementation. Treatment
of complications often includes antibiotics ,pain management ,intravenous fluids and
surgery all backed by psycho social support. Blood transfusions help sickle cell disease
patient by reducing recurrent pain crisis, risk of stroke and other complications. Because
blood cells contain iron ,and there is no natural way of eliminating excess iron, patients
who receive repeated blood transfusions accumulate iron in the body till it reaches toxic
levels.
A constant search is going on to find a substance which can stop sickling of RBCs or
which can at least offer lasting symptomatic relief to a patient with sickle cell disease.
One of the most promising drugs for this condition was Hydroxyurea-which is
essentially an anticancer drug. Hydroxyurea has been shown to reduce the painful crises and acute chest syndrome in adults and to lessen the need for blood transfusions.
Hydroxyurea seems to work by increasing the fetal haemoglibin in the RBCs .But being
a potent anti-cancer drug it has its own side effects. The major side effects of
Hydroxyurea include decreased production of platelets, red blood cells, and white blood
cells. The effect of long term hydroxyurea is yet to be established.
Bone marrow transplantation is another procedure which is being tried in sicke cell
disease mainly in severely affected children .Though it may give dramatic results, its
routine use is not possible because of the complications associated with the procedure
besides the high cost and the need for highly sophisticated infrastructure and appropriate
donors.
Recently a phytochemical formulation has been patented in US by National institute for
Pharmaceutical Research and Development Federal ministry of Science and technology
(Abuja,NG).The composition is a cold water extraction product of a mixture containing
Piper guineenses seeds, Pterocarpus osum stem, Eugenia caryophyllum fruit, Sorghum bicolor leaves and potash. Though promising, more clinical studies are required before
the safety ,efficacy of the formulation could be established.
The present invention describes a novel herbo-mineral formulation for treating the sickle cell disease
This multi-ingredient formulation T-AYU-HM™ can be given by multiple routes but preferably by oral route.. The above formulation when given by Oral route to patients suffering from sickle cell disease provides excellent results; drastically reduces all the symptoms and complications of sickle disease. The need for blood transfusions is also considerably reduced. Increases in the hemoglobin levels were observed when the patients were given this medicine orally. The novel herbo-mineral formulation described above drastically reduces painful episodes in the sickle cell patients and also protects the vital organs. The formulation has been found to be safe and well tolerated in all the patients. Hence the present invention fills the void in the treatment of sickle cell disease and enhances quality of life of these patients..
Safety profile:
the drug is a mixture of time tested and safe herbs.
No any side effects
reported till today. Toxicity test LD50 has human useful value.
Dr. Atul Desai.
Dhanvantari Clinic
Ayurvedic Health Care Center
Sardar Chowk
Vyara-394650
099879031621
dratuldesai@rediffmail.com
info@vaidyarajayurveda.com
ayuhm4anaemia@indiatimes.com
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