Abstract
Snakebites are a frequently neglected public health issue in tropical and subtropical countries. According to the World Health Organization, 5 million people are bitten annually including up to 2.5 million envenomations. Treatment with antivenom serum remains the only specific therapy for snakebite envenomation. However, it is heterologous and therefore liable to cause adverse reactions, such as early anaphylactic, pyrogenic and delayed reactions. In order to develop alternatives to the current therapy, researchers have been looking for natural products and plant extracts with antimyotoxic, anti-hemorrhagic and anti-inflammatory properties. Especially due to the role the physiopathological processes triggered by snake toxins, play in paralysis, bleeding disorders, kidney failure and tissue damage. Considering the fact that studies involving snake toxins and specific inhibitors, particularly on a molecular level, are the main key to understand neutralization mechanisms and to propose models or prototypes for an alternative therapy, this article presents efforts made by the scientific community in order to produce validated data regarding 87 compounds and plant extracts obtained from 79 species. These plants, which belong to 63 genera and 40 families, have been used by traditional medicine as alternatives or complements to the current serum therapy.
Keywords: Serum therapy, serum, ophidian venom, anti-snake venom, snakebite, anti-snake venom compounds.
Current Medicinal Chemistry
Title:Biodiversity as a Source of Bioactive Compounds Against Snakebites
Volume: 21 Issue: 25
Author(s): Cesar L. S. Guimaraes, Leandro S. Moreira-Dill, Renata S. Fernandes, Tassia R. Costa, Lorane I. S. Hage-Melim, Silvana Marcussi, Bruna M. A. Carvalho, Saulo L. da Silva, Juliana P. Zuliani, Carla F. C. Fernandes, Leonardo A. Calderon, Andreimar M. Soares and Rodrigo G. Stabeli
Affiliation:
Keywords: Serum therapy, serum, ophidian venom, anti-snake venom, snakebite, anti-snake venom compounds.
Abstract: Snakebites are a frequently neglected public health issue in tropical and subtropical countries. According to the World Health Organization, 5 million people are bitten annually including up to 2.5 million envenomations. Treatment with antivenom serum remains the only specific therapy for snakebite envenomation. However, it is heterologous and therefore liable to cause adverse reactions, such as early anaphylactic, pyrogenic and delayed reactions. In order to develop alternatives to the current therapy, researchers have been looking for natural products and plant extracts with antimyotoxic, anti-hemorrhagic and anti-inflammatory properties. Especially due to the role the physiopathological processes triggered by snake toxins, play in paralysis, bleeding disorders, kidney failure and tissue damage. Considering the fact that studies involving snake toxins and specific inhibitors, particularly on a molecular level, are the main key to understand neutralization mechanisms and to propose models or prototypes for an alternative therapy, this article presents efforts made by the scientific community in order to produce validated data regarding 87 compounds and plant extracts obtained from 79 species. These plants, which belong to 63 genera and 40 families, have been used by traditional medicine as alternatives or complements to the current serum therapy.
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Guimaraes L. S. Cesar, Moreira-Dill S. Leandro, Fernandes S. Renata, Costa R. Tassia, Hage-Melim I. S. Lorane, Marcussi Silvana, Carvalho M. A. Bruna, Silva L. da Saulo, Zuliani P. Juliana, Fernandes F. C. Carla, Calderon A. Leonardo, Soares M. Andreimar and Stabeli G. Rodrigo, Biodiversity as a Source of Bioactive Compounds Against Snakebites, Current Medicinal Chemistry 2014; 21 (25) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/09298673113206660295
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/09298673113206660295 |
Print ISSN 0929-8673 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-533X |
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