Medicinal plants with inhibitory properties against snake venoms
artículo original
Date
2005Author
Soares, Andreimar Martins
Ticli, Fábio K.
Marcussi, Silvana
Lourenço, Miriam V.
Januário, Ana Helena
Sampaio, Suely Vilela
Giglio, José Roberto
Lomonte, Bruno
Pereira, Paulo S.
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Show full item recordAbstract
Envenomations due to snake bites are commonly treated by parenteral administration of horse or
sheep-derived polyclonal antivenoms aimed at the neutralization of toxins. However, despite the widespread
success of this therapy, it is still important to search for different venom inhibitors, either synthetic or natural,
that could complement or substitute for the action of antivenoms. Several plants have been utilized in folk
medicine as antiophidian. However, only a few species have been scientifically investigated and still less had
their active components isolated and characterized both structurally and functionally. This article presents a
review of plants showing neutralizing properties against snake venoms which were assayed in research
laboratories, correlating them with ethnopharmacological studies, as (i) the part of the plant used as antidote,
(ii) its respective genus and family and (iii) inhibition of the main pharmacological, toxic and enzymatic
activities of snake venoms and isolated toxins. Protective activity of many of these plants against the lethal
action of snake venoms has been confirmed by biological assays. Compounds in all of them belong to
chemical classes capable of interacting with macromolecular targets (enzymes or receptors). Popular culture can
often help to guide scientific studies. In addition, biotechnological application of these inhibitors, as helpful
alternative or supplemental treatments to serum therapy, and also as important models for synthesis of new
drugs of medical interest, needs to be better oriented and scientifically explored.
External link to the item
10.2174/092986705774370655Collections
- Microbiología [1171]