Review on Jatropha tanjorensis (Hospital too far); Significance as an Anti-Anaemia Plant

Abstract

Anaemia is a blood disorder which is a direct result of decreased hemoglobin (Hb) concentration and or red blood cell numbers (RBC) which culminates to loss of physiological potentials. It is a major public health problem in developing countries orchestrated by an imbalance between erythrocyte loss relative to production which occurs as a result of ineffective or deficient erythropoisis, nutritional deficiency, inflammation or genetic hemoglobin (Hb) disorder and or excessive loss of erythrocytes due to hemolysis, blood loss or both. An estimated 30-80% preschool age children at the age 1 year suffer from anaemia. Anaemia imposes deleterious consequences such as stunted physical and cognitive development, impaired language coordination and motor skill equivalent to a 5-10 points deficit in intelligent quotient (IQ). Anaemia in pregnancy translates to decreased productivity through energy loss and consequent lack of working capacity and consequent declination in household food security and income. Long before now, many plants had been used successfully to address anaemia locally, one of which is Jatropha tanjorensis dubbed “Hospital too far” a name it acquired as a result of its unverified perceived exceptional anti-anaemic property. Therefore, this review aims at evaluating the veracity of the impression on Jatropha tanjorensis as an exceptional anti-anaemic plant using data derived from studies on anti-anaemic plants.