Inhibitory Effect of PlantManilkara subsericeaagainst Biological Activities ofLachesis mutaSnake Venom

Abstract

Snake venom is composed of a mixture of substances that caused in victims a variety of pathophysiological effects. Besides antivenom, literature has described plants able to inhibit injuries and lethal activities induced by snake venoms. This work describes the inhibitory potential of ethanol, hexane, ethyl acetate, or dichloromethane extracts and fractions from stem and leaves ofManilkara subsericeaagainstin vivo(hemorrhagic and edema) andin vitro(clotting, hemolysis, and proteolysis) activities caused byLachesis mutavenom. All the tested activities were totally or at least partially reduced byM. subsericea. However, whenL. mutavenom was injected into mice 15 min first or after the materials, hemorrhage and edema were not inhibited. Thus,M. subsericeacould be used as antivenom in snakebites ofL. muta. And, this work also highlights Brazilian flora as a rich source of molecules with antivenom properties.