Snake venom detoxification potential of selected Nigerian medicinal plants: a review

Abstract

Snake envenomation is one of the neglected public health problems with high morbidity and mortality rate across the globe. Snakebite has led to several major health complications such as numbness and flaccid paralysis, damage to local tissue which eventually results in temporary and/or permanent physical impairment. In Nigeria however, lack of access to emergency treatment for snake envenomation has in no small measure contributed to the high rate of snake incidence. Though, a lot of drawbacks and limitations associated with the use of standard antisnake venom (ASV) include storage, side effects, expire in short time coupled with short supply. These factors made snake venom detoxification with ASV unaffordable to victims especially to people living in rural areas who are at high risk of snakebites. Therefore, the use of medicinal plants remains the only alternative for snake venom detoxification (SVD) in Nigeria especially in rural areas. This mini review reported the detoxification potentials of different medicinal plants (parts: leaves, stem bark, root, seed) of creeping foxglove (Asystasia gangetica L.), Resurrection plant (Bryophullum pinnatum Lam), Hammattan lily (Crinum jagus) wild custard apple (Annona sengalensis), plantain (Musa paradiasia) and finger root (Uvaria chamate), used to treat snakebite in Nigeria. Majority of these medicinal plants used by herbalists were validated by recent scientific works conducted on snake venom detoxification potentials. Bioactive antivenin compounds such as aristolochic acid, quercetin, kaempferol, resveratrol isolated from common Nigerian medicinal plants show very promising detoxification potential against snakebites. The authors of this review paper suggest that, more ethnomedicinal survey should be done to explore more plants with SVD potential for the development of effective medications.