Ethnomedical Treatment of Poisonous Snakebites: Plant Extract Neutralized Naja nigricollis. Venom

Figures & data

Table 1. Plants used in poisonous snakebites in northern Nigeria.

Plant	Plant part used	Method of preparation	Indication	Locations
Indigofera pulchra.	Aerial part	Decoction is prepared from dried aerial parts	For bites due to vipers such as Echis carinatus. and Bitis. spp.	Zaria, Malumfashi, and Kaltungo areas
Aristolochia albida.	Rhizomes	Rhizomes are prepared as decoction and by maceration	For bites expecially due to common elapids and some vipers	Katsina and Malumfashi areas
Guiera senegalense.	Leaves	Dried powdered leaves are placed on incisions at bite sites to retard absorption of venom	For all snakebites	Throughout the north, especially used by the Fulani herdsmen
Sterculia setigera.	Bark	The dried powdered bark is taken with milk as prophylaxis to poisonous snakebites	Is used in prophylaxis of snakebites. Popular during onset of rainy season and when herdsmen are moving their cattle toward snake endemic areas.	Throughout northern Nigeria, especially used by the Fulani herdsmen

Table 2. The effect of 100 mg kg⁻¹ i.p. dose of some plant extract on the lethal properties of Naja nigricollis. venom.

Group	Treatment	No. of dead/total no. of animals used	Survival % (within 24 h)	Average time of death in h ( ± SD, n = 9)	Gross pathologic signs
1	MLD	9/9	0	1.62 ± 1.33	No lesions in the brain, however, the lungs, spleen, liver, intestine, and the kidneys of mice treated with the venom were enlarged and congested, there was also severe hemorrhage in these organs
2	MLD + Indigofera pulchra.	6/9	33.3	6.22 ± 4.99	In contrast with group 1, enlargement and congestion in the lungs, spleen, liver, intestine, and the kidneys was minimized but there was severe hemorrhage in these organs
3	MLD + Aristolochia albida.	5/9	44.4	11.67 ± 5.15	In contrast with group 1, enlargement and congestion in the lungs, spleen, liver, intestine, and the kidneys was minimized with hemorrhage in these organs
4	MLD + Guiera senegalense.	7/9	22.2	4.56 ± 2.88	In contrast with group 1, enlargement and congestion in the lungs, spleen, liver, and the kidneys was minimized but there was hemorrhage in these organs was severe
5	MLD + Sterculia setigera.	9/9	0	0.81 ± 0.38	No lesions in the brain, however the lungs, spleen, liver, and the kidneys of mice were enlarged and congested; there was also severe hemorrhage in these organs

Figure 1 The effects of venom and venom incubated with some plant extracts on citrated bovine plasma. The anticoagulant effect of venom was significantly reduced by extracts of Indigofera pulchra. and Aristolochia albida. (p < 0.05; one-way ANOVA analysis).

Figure 2 Effect of extracts on the hemolytic properties of venom of Naja nigricollis.. Bars represent the mean ± SD. The difference between hemolytic activity of venom and venom incubated with extract is statistically significant for Indigofera pulchra. and Aristolochia albida. (at p < 0.05; one-way ANOVA).

Venom only,

Venom and indigofera pulchra.,

Venom and Aristolochia albida.,

Venom and Guiera senegalense.,

Venom and Sterculia setrigera.

Table 3. The effect of some plant extracts on the phospholipase A₂ activity of crude Naja nigricollis. venom.

Sample	PLA2 activity (µmoles mg^−1 h^−1)
Crude venom	852.0 ± 26.2
Venom + Indigofera pulcha.	605.7 ± 40.1
Venom + Aristolochia albida.	488.3 ± 18.9
Venom + Guiera senegalense.	547.3 ± 69.7
Venom + Sterculia setigera.	817.3 ± 47.6

*Significantly different from PLA₂ activity of crude venom at p < 0.05 (one-way ANOVA).

Figure 3 Effect of different doses of some plant extract on the phospholipase A₂ activity of crude Naja nigricollis. venom. The extracts of Indigofera pulchra, Aristolochia albida., and Guiera senegalense. significantly reduced the PLA₂ activity of crude venom (at p < 0.05; one-way ANOVA).