Inhibition of Toxic Effects of Viper and Cobra Venom by Indian Medicinal Plants

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.