Comparison of the Effect of Alfalfa Syrup and Placebo on Platelet Count in Patients with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by decreasing platelet count with the normal bone marrow and the absence of specific causes of thrombocytopenia. Corticosteroids are the first line of treatment and costly and complicated methods, such as splenectomy or immunosuppressive agents, are used as the second line of treatment. Alfalfa with scientific name of Medicago Sativa has warm temperament that traditional physicians have used as haemapoietic food from thousands years ago and its use with anticoagulants reduces their effectiveness. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of alfalfa syrup on platelet count in patients with ITP.

This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial that was done in Hematology Clinic Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad, Iran. Forty patients were randomly divided into two groups of alfalfa syrup and placebo syrup. They received 5 cc of alfalfa or placebo syrup each 8 hours for 15 days. Blood samples were taken from patients before and at the end of treatment. Blood samples were taken for CBC, BT and platelet counts. The statistical method used was Paired-samples T test and independent-samples T test.

The results showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups in the laboratory tests at first, but after the intervention, the mean number of platelets and BT differences between the two groups was statistically significant (p=0.013 and p=0.018, respectively).

The use of a cheap and available vegetable as alfalfa can be effective in improving the platelet count in patients with ITP.