Phytochemical Screening and Therapeutic Effect of <i>Sesbania sesban</i> in Benzene-Induced Leukemic Wistar Rats

This study evaluated the phytochemical composition of Sesbania sesban leaf extract and its therapeutic effects in benzene-induced leukemic Wistar rats. Leukemia was induced by intravenous administration of benzene (0.2 mL of a 1:10 benzene/solvent solution) every two days for three weeks. Following induction, leukemic rats were treated for 14 days either with standard chemotherapy (doxorubicin plus cytarabine) or with S. sesban methanolic leaf extract at 150 mg/kg or 300 mg/kg. Phytochemical screening revealed that the extract is rich in phenolic compounds, tannins, flavonoids, and quinones. Treatment outcomes were assessed via hematological parameters, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity as markers of leukemia severity and tissue damage. Rats treated with S. sesban showed a significant amelioration of leukocytosis, anemia, and thrombocytopenia compared to untreated leukemic controls, with many blood parameters returning to near-normal levels. S. sesban therapy also reduced CRP (inflammation) and LDH (tissue damage) levels markedly, comparable to or better than the standard chemotherapy in some indices. These findings indicate that S. sesban leaf extract exerts protective and anti-leukemic effects in vivo, suggesting its potential as an adjunct or alternative treatment for leukemia. The herbal treatment mitigated leukemia-induced pathological changes and chemotherapy side effects, highlighting S. sesban’s promise as a safer complementary therapeutic strategy for leukemia.