Integrative Ethnopharmacology of Indian Medicinal Plants for Sickle Cell Disease Management: Bridging Tradition with Evidence-Based Medicine

Abstract

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hereditary hemoglobinopathy characterized by polymerization of deoxygenated hemoglobin S (HbS), red blood cell (RBC) sickling, hemolysis, vaso-occlusion, and multi-organ complications. Conventional pharmacotherapy (e.g., hydroxyurea, L-glutamine, voxelotor) improves outcomes but remains costly, partially effective, and not universally available; moreover, many patients in low-resource settings rely on traditional medicine. Phytotherapeutic approaches — empirical herbal remedies and plant-derived bioactive compounds — have been studied for antisickling, antioxidant, membrane-stabilizing, and anti-inflammatory activities. India, with its rich ethnobotanical traditions, presents many candidate plants for SCD management.

This review synthesizes current knowledge on Indian medicinal plants with reported anti-sickling or supportive activities, summarizes common experimental models and mechanisms, evaluates the quality of evidence, and outlines research priorities for translating ethnobotanical leads into safe, standardized, and evidence-based phytotherapeutics.