Protective effect of Solanum tuberosum against the breakdown of red blood cells: an experimental study in burn injury model

Introduction: Anemia is known to be an important problem in burn injury. We aimed to investigate the protective effect of Solanum tuberosum (potatoes), against abnormal breakdown of erythrocytes in burn injury.Methods: Ninety-six male (9 to 10 weeks old) Swiss Albino mice (34–40 g) were included into the study, which consisted of two phases: dose optimization phase (n = 48) and study phase (n = 48). Half of the mice were given S. tuberosum juice (study group) and the other half drinking water (control group). The optimal dosage causing minimum decline in hematocrit was as follows: 1.6 mL/kg at 0 h, 0.8 mL/kg at 24 hours, and 0.8 mL/kg at 36 hours of burn injury. The burn injury was induced with a solid 10-mm aluminum bar heated in boiling water.Results: The decrease in hematocrit level was significantly lower in the study group than the control group at 24 and 48 hours (P = 0.05 and P = 0.023, respectively). The increase in anisocytosis, a hemolytic anemia sign, was also significantly lower in the study group than the control group at 48 hours (P = 0.021). There was no significant difference between groups in terms of clotting time or the bleeding time.Conclusion: In burn injury, S. tuberosum may be beneficial against anemia and it may reduce the need for red blood cell transfusion.