TITLE:
Inhibition of Toxic Effects of Viper and Cobra Venom by Indian Medicinal Plants
AUTHORS:
M. I. Alam
KEYWORDS:
Anti-Snake Venom Activity, Medicinal Plants, Snake Venom
JOURNAL NAME:
Pharmacology & Pharmacy,
Vol.5 No.8,
July
29,
2014
ABSTRACT: The mortality rate
from snakebites in West Bengal is very high and most of the deaths are caused
by the Daboia russelli and Naja naja envenomation. Twenty-three plants from the seventeen families
were collected from the traditional healers and explored for the first
time for antisnake venom activity. In our previous report, the methanolic root
extract of the Indian medicinal plants Pluchea
indica, Hemidesmus indicus, Vitex negundo and Emblica officinalis significantly neutralized the Viper and Cobra venom-induced pathophysiological changes [1][2]. In the present
study, we explored four plant extracts (Curcuma
aromatica, Aristolochia indica, Androgrphis paniculata and Curcuma zeodaria) for the antisnake
venom activity. The plant extracts significantly antagonized Daboia russelli, Echis carinatus, Ophiophagus
hannah and Naja kaouthia venom-induced
lethal activity both in in vitro and in vivo studies. Daboia russellii venom-induced haemorrhage, coagulant,
defibrinogenating and PLA2 activity were significantly neutralized
by the extracts. No precipitating bands were observed between the plant extract
and venom. This observation confirmed the role of active constituents of plants
and plant materials involved in snake venom inhibition. Further studies are
going on in our laboratory for the identification of active molecules as well
as their mechanism of venom inhibition.