Effect of Desmodium triflorum on bleeding time: A pilot study

Manohara M.G.R.K. and Munasinghe D.A.L*

Abstract

Natural herbs are popular in current society due to less side effects. Desmodium triflorum, is such a valuable plant and crushed leaves are applied on minor wounds to prevent bleeding by villagers. Anyway, the scientific investigations carried out on medicinal plants are fewer. Thus, the current study was launched in the Faculty of Indigenous Medicine to fill the gap to a certain extent and to find out the effect of Desmodium leaves on bleeding time. The students of the faculty were considered as the target group due to easy handling and narrow age limit. Bleeding time was tested with the less invasive Duke method. As the control, normal bleeding time of the selected group (n=16) was obtained. The same group was used for the test also, to overcome issues such as age gap, sex gap and health differences. In the test, the pricked site was applied with pure crushed leaves (25 mg) of Desmodium. Then, at every 30 seconds, the site was screened for bleeding with the blotting paper (after removing the plant materials). The bleeding time was obtained at the time of stoppage of bleeding. The average bleeding time of control and test was 71.50 and 39.50 seconds respectively and the difference was statically significant (P<0.05) under the paired t test. It is obvious that the bleeding time has an effect from the crushed plant materials. Bleeding time is controlled mainly by the constriction of blood vessels and formation of platelet plugs in the wound area. The reduction of bleeding time by the plant could be due to its phytochemicals such as tannin, flavonoids which have astringent effect that reduce the blood flow to the area. Further, Anti prostaglandin property of phytochemicals reduce vasodilation. Thus, the study will be a platform for scientists to conduct more investigations on the plant and develop a naval drug for wound bleeding.