Anti-inflammatory activity of Blutaparon portulacoides ethanolic extract against the inflammatory reaction induced by Bothrops jararacussu venom and isolated myotoxins BthTX-I and II

Abstract

This article reports the anti-inflammatory effect of Blutaparon portulacoides (B. portulacoides), specifically the ethanolic extract of its aerial parts, on the edema formation and leukocyte influx caused by Bothrops jararacussu (B. jararacussu) snake venom and Bothropstoxin-I and II (BthTX-I and II) isolated from this venom as an alternative treatment for Bothrops snakebites. The antiinflammatory effect of B. portulacoides ethanolic extract was compared with an animal group pretreated with dexamethasone. B. portulacoides ethanolic extract significantly inhibited paw edema induced by B. jararacussu venom and by BthTX-I and II. Also, results demonstrated that the extract caused a reduction of the leukocyte influx induced by BthTX-I. However, the extract was not capable of inhibiting the leukocyte influx induced by the venom and by BthTX-II. In conclusion, these results suggest that the ethanolic extract of this plant possess components able to inhibit or inactivate toxins present in B. jararacussu venom, including its myotoxins, responsible for the edema formation. However, the leukocyte migration caused by the venom and BthTX-II was not inhibited by the plant, probably due to the different mechanisms involved in the edema formation and leukocyte influx. This is the first report of B. portulacoides extract as anti-inflammatory against snake venoms and isolated toxins.

Low-level laser therapy decreases local effects induced by myotoxins isolated from Bothrops jararacussu snake venom

“…Two myotoxic PLA 2 s were isolated from Bothrops jararacussu snake venom and characterized as bothropstoxin I (BthTX-I) and bothropstoxin II (BthTX-II) (11,12). These proteins can be classified into two categories: Asp49 PLA 2 s, catalytically active, and Lys49 PLA 2 s, devoid of significant catalytic activity upon artificial substrate (2,10,18,34). In the present work, the local inflammatory process and myonecrosis induced by BthTX-I (Lys49 PLA 2 ) and BthTX-II (Asp49 PLA 2 ), and their possible blockade by laser treatment, were investigated.…”

“…During serum therapy, the toxic systemic effect is usually counteracted by the antivenom, but reversal of local tissue damage usually does not occur (42,43). Neutralization of snake venoms and isolated toxins by plant extracts has been extensively explored as an alternative treatment to serum therapy (17,18,44). Natural and synthetic compounds such as heparin, suramin, fucoidan and animal serum factors have also been studied (45)(46)(47)(48)(49)(50)(51).…”

“…Myotoxic PLA 2 homologues can be inhibited by polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies, as well as by heparin, plant extracts and serum/plasma factors (14)(15)(16)(17)(18). A thorough understanding of the local action of Bothrops snake venoms is required for the successful development of alternative therapeutic strategies.…”

Snake Venom PLA2s Inhibitors Isolated from Brazilian Plants: Synthetic and Natural Molecules

“…The ethanolic extract of the aerial parts of Blutaparon portulacoides (Amaranthaceae), an herbaceous plant that occurs mainly in the Atlantic bush, caused a reduction in edema formation and in the leukocyte influx induced by Lys49-PLA 2 and isolated from B. jararacussu venom [47]. …”

Low-intensity laser therapy improves tetanic contractions in mouse anterior tibialis muscle injected with Bothrops jararaca snake venom

“…However, despite its effectiveness in neutralizing systemic effects such as coagulopathy (França and Málaque, 2009;Warrell, 2004), antivenom is generally ineffective in neutralizing local reactions Guimarães-Souza et al, 2011;Nadur-Andrade et al, 2012;Pereira et al, 2009;Picolo et al, 2002). Indeed, a major problem in the treatment of Bothrops venom-induced myonecrosis is the rapid onset of this damage (within 15 min of venom injection) that makes treatment virtually impossible (Gutiérrez et al, 2007).…”