Abstract
Background: Polycythemia is characterized by excessive erythrocyte proliferation, leading to blood hyperviscosity and severe splenic congestion. While Hydroxyurea (HU) is a frontline cytoreductive therapy, its long-term clinical utility is limited by drug-induced splenotoxicity, white pulp atrophy, and lymphoid follicle depletion. Curcuma longa (Cur) possesses established antioxidant and cytoprotective properties.
Objective: To evaluate the synergistic efficacy of Curcuma longa extract combined with Hydroxyurea in normalizing hematological indices and attenuating splenic histopathology in polycythemic rats.
Methods: Male rats were allocated into five groups: Negative Control, Polycythemic Positive Control, HU Monotherapy (22.14 mg/kg), Cur Monotherapy (273.69 mg/kg, derived via dose–response regression analysis), and Combination Therapy (Comb: Cur + HU). Complete hematological profiles and H&E-stained splenic tissue sections were systematically evaluated.
Results: Polycythemic controls exhibited marked hematological elevation, massive splenic red pulp sinus engorgement, RBC lysis, pressure atrophy of the white pulp, and megakaryocyte hyperplasia. HU monotherapy normalized hematological parameters but induced severe splenic lymphoid follicle depletion. Cur monotherapy provided moderate restoration of white pulp architecture. Combination therapy (Cur + HU) showed superior synergistic activity, achieving complete normalization of hematological indices, marked white pulp architectural restoration, and reversal of drug-induced splenotoxicity.
Conclusion: Co-administration of Curcuma longa extract with Hydroxyurea restores hematological balance while protecting against HU-induced splenotoxicity, representing a synergistic strategy for polycythemia management.
| Has the manuscript been published | not published |
|---|---|
| Intend to be published in the IJPS ? | Yes |
