Antivenin plants used for treatment of snakebites in Uganda: ethnobotanical reports and pharmacological evidences

Abstract

Snakebite envenomation is a serious public health concern in rural areas of Uganda. Snakebites are poorly documented in Uganda because most occur in rural settings where traditional therapists end up being the first-line defense for treatment. Ethnobotanical surveys in Uganda have reported that some plants are used to antagonize the activity of various snake venoms. This review was sought to identify antivenin plants in Uganda and some pharmacological evidence supporting their use. A literature survey done in multidisciplinary databases revealed that 77 plant species belonging to 65 genera and 42 families are used for the treatment of snakebites in Uganda. The majority of these species belong to family Fabaceae (31%), Euphorbiaceae (14%), Asteraceae (12%), Amaryllidaceae (10%) and Solanaceae (10%). The main growth habit of the species is shrubs (41%), trees (33%) and herbs (18%). Antivenin extracts are usually prepared from roots (54%) and leaves (23%) through decoctions, infusions, powders, and juices, and are administered orally (67%) or applied topically (17%). The most frequently encountered species were Allium cepa, Carica papaya, Securidaca longipedunculata, Harrisonia abyssinica, and Nicotiana tabacum. Species with global reports of tested antivenom activity included Allium cepa, Allium sativum, Basella alba, Capparis tomentosa, Carica papaya, Cassia occidentalis, Jatropa carcus, Vernonia cinereal, Bidens pilosa, Hoslundia opposita, Maytensus senegalensis, Securinega virosa, and Solanum incanum. There is need to identify and evaluate the antivenom compounds in the claimed plants.

An evidence based efficacy and safety assessment of the ethnobiologicals against poisonous and non-poisonous bites used by the tribals of three westernmost districts of West Bengal, India: Anti-phospholipase A2 and genotoxic effects

“…Moreover, plants used against snakebites in Santarém, western Pará, Brazil were validated scientifically against hemorrhagic activity caused by Bothrops jararaca venom [ 52 ]. Ethnobotanical use of antivenin plants used in Uganda were also evidenced by pharmacological analysis [ 53 ]. Neutralization of lethal, enzymatic and hemorrhagic effects of Bothrops atrox venom by medicinal plants from Colombia was documented in a series of studies [ 49 , 54 , 55 ].…”

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“…An electronic review of the literature was perfected in two steps: firstly, we searched all the published work (ethnobotanical books, reviews, reports, theses and primary scientific articles) with data on medicinal plants related to the six countries. The search key terms: snakebite, snake envenomation, snake poison, traditional medicine, ethnobotany, alternative medicine, ethnopharmacology, antivenom, antivenin, antiophidic, antitoxin, and snake antidotes were combined with the individual names of the countries [7,104]. Secondly, a search targeted to the use of medicinal plants in antivenom therapy was done.…”

“…With sufficient epidemiological data, the menace was re-included in category A of neglected tropical diseases in June 2017 [6]. In East Africa, there are at least 200 species of snakes reported [7]. Some are harmless or rare; however, the puff adder (Bitis arietans), Gabon viper (Bitis gabonica), green or Jameson's mamba (Dendroaspis jamesoni), black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis), forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca) and black-necked spitting cobra (Naja naja nigricollis) accounts for most venomous bites in the East African Community [7][8][9][10].…”

“…The barriers to effective management of snake envenomation in East African Community ranges from poor road networks, fragmented records and lack of public health education to the absence of antivenoms and poor antivenom preservation facilities in health centres [8,10,[13][14][15]. This context has been the force behind the obsessive search for complementary treatments for snakebites [7,11,16]. Therefore, the use of plants and other traditional alternatives in rural areas for managing the scourge of snakebites is justifiable.…”

Traditional uses of Ethno-medicinal Plants in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs), Bangladesh: A Review

“…More than 80% of victims in Bangladesh are handled primarily with the aid of medicinal plants [46]. Medicinal plants are used for the treatment of snake bite in different region of the world [47][48][49][50]. Medicinal plants in this CHTs region are a rich source having anti-venom properties [51] such as Abroma augusta, Achyranthes aspera, Alocasia cucullata, Aristolochia tagala, Calotropis procera, Cassia occidentalis, Ficus hirta, Persicaria chinensis, Senna occidentalis etc.…”