In vitro Studies of Iron Chelation Activity of Purified Active Ingredients Extracted from Triticum aestivum Linn. (Wheat Grass)

Objective: Seven to eight days germinated plants of Triticum aestivum (wheat grass) are
a rich source of vitamin A, C, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium,
sulphur, cobalt, zinc and protein. Traditionally the aqueous extract of T. aestivum was
reported to be used as a health tonic in folk and ayurvedic medicine. We previously
reported that aqueous extract of T. aestivum was found to reduce the blood transfusion
requirement in iron overloaded Thalassemia and Myelodysplastic syndrome patients. Our
objective was to extract and purify active ingredients from wheat grass and study their
mode of action in stabilizing hemoglobin level in those patients.
Design and Method: Active ingredients of wheat grass were extracted and purified by
cation exchange column chromatography followed by High Performance Liquid
Chromatography. In vitro experiments with phenylhydrazine treated red blood cell
hemolysate were carried out before and after treatment of purified fraction of T. aestivum
to study iron chelating activity.
Result: Purified fraction of T. aestivum treated red blood cell showed significant inhibition of free reactive iron production and formation of thio-barbituric acid reactive substances
when compared to desferrioxamine treated hemolysate.
Conclusion: Iron chelating activity of purified fraction of T. aestivum, an inexpensive,
easily available source, is very promising for further clinical trial and development of oral
iron chelator drug for Thalassemia, Myelodysplastic syndrome and other iron overloaded
diseases.