Anti-necrosis potential of polyphenols against snake venoms

Abstract

Polyphenols from the extracts of Areca catechu L. and Quercus infectoria Oliv. inhibited phospholipase A₂, proteases, hyaluronidase and L-amino acid oxidase of Naja naja kaouthia Lesson (NK) and Calloselasma rhodostoma Kuhl (CR) venoms by in vitro tests. Both extracts inhibited the hemorrhagic activity of CR venom and the dermonecrotic activity of NK venom by in vivo tests. The inhibitory activity of plant polyphenols against local tissue necrosis induced by snake venoms may be caused by inhibition of inflammatory reactions, hemorrhage, and necrosis. The result implies the therapeutic potential of plant polyphenols against necrosis in snakebite victims.

Keywords::

• Anti-snake venom
• calloselasma rhodostoma
• Naja naja kaouthia
• necrosis
• plant polyphenols

Acknowledgments

Financial support from the Thailand Research Fund (TRF) through the Royal Golden Jubilee Ph.D. Program (Grant No. PHD/0049/2547) is gratefully acknowledged. We thank Narumol Pakmanee, Department of Research and Development, the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, for technical assistance in animal experiments and for providing lyophilized CR and NK venoms.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.