No abstract

Context and objective: Viperid venom-induced chronic local-toxicity continues even after anti-snake venom treatment. Therefore, traditional antidote Albizia lebbeck L. (Fabaceae) seed extract was tested against Echis carinatus S. (Viperidae) venom (ECV)-induced local toxicity to evaluate its complementary remedy. Materials and methods: Soxhlet extraction of A. lebbeck seeds was performed with the increasing polarity of solvents (n-hexane to water); the extract was screened for phytochemicals (alkaloids, anthraquinones, flavonoids, glycosides, phenolics, saponins, steroids and tannins). In preliminary in vitro analysis, A. lebbeck methanolic extract (ALME) demonstrated significant inhibition of ECV proteases, the major enzyme-toxin responsible for local-toxicity. Therefore, in vitro neutralizing potential of ALME was further evaluated against hyaluronidases and phospholipase A 2 (1:1-1:100 w/w). In addition, alleviation of ECV induced characteristic local-toxicity [haemorrhage (i.d.) and myotoxicity (i.m.)] was determined in mice. Results: ALME contained high concentrations of phenolics and flavonoids and demonstrated significant in vitro inhibition of ECV protease (IC 50 ¼ 36.32 lg, p < 0.0001) and hyaluronidase (IC 50 ¼ 91.95 lg, p < 0.0001) at 1:100 w/w. ALME significantly neutralized ECV induced haemorrhage (ED 50 ¼ 26.37 lg, p < 0.0001) and myotoxicity by significantly reducing serum creatinine kinase (ED 50 ¼ 37.5 lg, p < 0.0001) and lactate dehydrogenase (ED 50 ¼ 31.44 lg, p ¼ 0