Snake Venom Induced Local Toxicities: Plant Secondary Metabolites as an Auxiliary Therapy

Abstract

Snakebite is a serious medical and socio-economic problem affecting the rural and agricultural laborers of tropical and sub-tropical region across the world leading to high morbidity and mortality. In most of the snakebite incidences, victims usually end up with permanent tissue damage and sequelae with high socioeconomic and psychological impacts. Although, mortality has been reduced markedly due to anti-venom regimen, it is associated with several limitations. Snake venom metalloprotease, hyaluronidase and myotoxic phospholipase A2 are the kingpins of tissue necrosis and extracellular matrix degradation. Thus, inhibition of these enzymes is considered to be the rate limiting step in the management of snakebite. Unfortunately, tissue necrosis and extracellular matrix degradation persists even after the administration of anti-venom. At present, inhibitors from snake serum and plasma, several synthetic compounds and their analogs have been demonstrated to possess anti-snake venom activities, but the use of plant metabolites for this purpose has an added advantage of traditional knowledge and will make the treatment cheaper and more accessible to the affected population. Therefore, the clinical and research forums are highly oriented towards plant metabolites and interestingly, certain phytochemicals are implicated as the antibody elicitors against venom toxicity that can be exploited in designing effective anti-venoms. Based on these facts, we have made an effort to enlist plant based secondary metabolites with antiophidian abilities and their mechanism of action against locally acting enzymes/toxins in particular. The review also describes their functional groups responsible for therapeutic beneficial and certainly oblige in designing potent inhibitors against venom toxins.

Novel Apigenin Based Small Molecule that Targets Snake Venom Metalloproteases

“…In many instances, it has been a challenge to treat viper bite victims, which leads to permanent disabilities. The viper bite-mediated local toxicity is reported to be arbitrated by SVMPs [13], [15], [35]. Most of the viperid venoms are known to compose at least 32% SVMPs suggesting their potential role in viper bite pathology [36].…”

“…Consequently, inhibition of SVMPs is reflected as a rate limiting step in viper bite management. Based on these facts, basic researchers and medical practitioners have considered SVMPs as the prime target to diminish the local tissue damage and systemic hemorrhage [14], [15].…”

“…So far, several studies have reported the inhibition of SVMPs and its pathological effects by different chelating agents, synthetic and bioactive molecules including terpenoids, sterols, polyphenols and flavonoids [15]–[17]. These molecules show inhibition towards different class of SVMPs to a varied extent.…”

Aqueous Leaf Extract of Jatropha gossypiifolia L. (Euphorbiaceae) Inhibits Enzymatic and Biological Actions of Bothrops jararaca Snake Venom

“…In this context, the search for new complementary therapies to treat snakebites is relevant and medicinal plants could be highlighted as a rich source of natural inhibitors and pharmacologically active compounds [8], [9]. There are several reports of the popular use of medicinal plants against snake bites around the world, especially in tropical and subtropical regions such as Asia, Africa and South America [10], [11].…”

“…There are several reports of the popular use of medicinal plants against snake bites around the world, especially in tropical and subtropical regions such as Asia, Africa and South America [10], [11]. The main advantages of antiophidic plants are their low cost, easy access, stability at room temperature and ability to neutralize a broad spectrum of toxins, including the local tissue damage [9], [11].…”