Original Research Article International Journal of Comprehensive and Advanced Pharmacology, January-March,2017;2(1):6-10 6 Anti-Anemic activity of Hydro-alcoholic extract of Calotropis procera flower on phenylhydrazine- induced anaemic rats Kushwaha Hariom 1 , Ankur Joshi 2,* , Sapna Malviya 3 , Anil Kharia 4 Modern Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Indore, Madhya Pradesh *Corresponding Author: Email: ankurpharmacology@gmail.com Abstract The present study was to evaluate the anti-anaemic activity of Calotropis procera flower of Apocynaceae family. Anemia was induced in rats by intra-peritoneal administration of phenylhydrazine at the dose of 40 mg / kg / day for two days. Hydroalcoholic extract was given orally to anaemic rats at 100 mg/kg and 200 mg / kg body weight, once a day for 28 days. Blood samples were collected from the rats by tail incision on days D0, D2, to the 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd and 4 th week of treatment and subjected to the analysis of red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (PCV). Extracts at dose of 100mg/kg and as well 200 mg / kg increased (p <0.001) significantly the number of red blood cells in the 4 th week of treatment when compared with that untreated anaemic group. In addition, the hemoglobin level increased (p<0.01) significantly in the first week of treatment to the rats of groups III and IV which received respectively reference antianaemic (Vitamin B12). The anti-anemic effect of Hydroalcholic aqueous extract was comparable to that of the drug Vitamin B12. Keywords: Calotropis procera, Anaemia, Hydroalcoholic, Hematological Parameters Introduction Anaemia is one of the public health problems most widespread, especially in developing countries. It is characterized by the deficiency of red blood cells (RBC) or hemoglobin in the blood, which results in the disturbance of the oxygen transport. The normal rate of hemoglobin varies with age and gender. There is anaemia when the rate is less than 110 g / L for pregnant women and children of 6 months to 5 years, 120 g / L for unpregnant women and 130 g / L for men. (1) There are two groups of anaemia, the lack of production of red blood cells (iron deficiency, aplastic or megaloblastic anaemia) or the abnormal destruction of red blood cells (hemolytic anaemia, or anaemia caused by a chronic disease). Iron deficiency anaemia is the most common type of anaemia. It is most widespread to children and women of all ages. The World Health Organization estimates that for the entire world, anaemia reached a staggering 2 billion people affected, also about 50% of cases is due to iron deficiency. (1) In Côte d'Ivoire, about 80% of children aged 2 to 5 years, 50% of school-age children and 50% of adult women are prone to iron deficiency problems. (2) In the case of hemolytic anemia, the rate of production of red blood cells is normal or high, but they are destroyed too rapidly. This disease is acquired or inherited. Acquired, it may be due to a reaction of the immune system (autoimmune or allergic), in the presence of toxic substances in the blood (phenylhydrazine) or to the infections. Infectious diseases especially malaria, helminthes infections, but also tuberculosis and HIV / AIDS contribute significantly to the elevated figures of prevalence of anaemia that is observed in many places. (2,3) Anaemia is characterized by a large number of symptoms that are losing weight and / or appetite, pallor (skin and complexion), fatigue or unexplained drowsiness, weakness, loss of energy, shortness of breath and many others. Calotropis procera (Asclepiadaceae), a giant milk weed, is known for its pharmacological importance for centuries. The coarse shrub is a very promising source of anticancerous, ascaricidal, schizonticidal, anti-microbial, anthelmintic, insecticidal, anti-inflammatory, anti- diarrhoeal, larvicidal with many other beneficial properties. Plant is described as a golden gift for human kind containing calotropin, calotropagenin, calotoxin, calactin, uscharin, amyrin, amyrin esters, uscharidin, coroglaucigenin, frugoside, corotoxigenin, calotropagenin and voruscharine used in many therapeutic applications. Different compounds like norditerpenic esters, organic carbonates, the cysteine protease procerain, alkaloids, flavonoids, sterols and numerous cardenolides made this plant of scientific attraction for centuries. Plant is not only a great source of natural hydrocarbons but also contains several metabolites used as folk medicine for the treatment of leprosy, elephantiasis, fever, menorrhagia, malaria and snake bite. Materials and Methods Plant material: The plant material is made up of the flower of Calotropis procera. The flower was collected from medicinal garden of Modern institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences in August 2016. The sample of plant was identified and authenticated at Rajmata Vijayraje Scindia Krishi Vishwavidhalaya, College of Agriculture, Indore Preparation of extracts: The flower of Calotropis procera was cut up, shade dried under room temperature for a period of three weeks. The dried plant material was made to a coarse powder and 100g of flower was extracted in Soxhlet assembly using 70:30 ratios of ethanol and water respectively Phytochemical screening: The different groups of compounds (sterols, polyterpenes, alkaloids, tannins, polyphenols, flavonoids, quinones, saponins and cardiac