Antiprotease activity of indigenous medicinal plants against Pakistani Echis carinatus venom

Nazia Aslam; Tariq Javed; Sofia Khalid; Nusrat Shaheen; Syeda Fatima; Muhammad Latif; Khurram Afzal; Samina Afzal; Khizar Abbas; Muhammad Arfat Yameen; Yasser M. S A. Al-Kharaman; Muhammad Imran Amirzada; Ryan J R. McCleary; Albert A Rizvanov; Muhammad Hassham Hassan Bin Asad

Articles

Abstract

Pharmacognosy Magazine,2020,16,69,416-421.

DOI:10.4103/pm.pm_355_19

Published:June 2020

Type:Original Article

Authors:

Author(s) affiliations:

Nazia Aslam¹, Tariq Javed², Sofia Khalid¹, Nusrat Shaheen³, Syeda Fatima¹, Muhammad Latif⁴, Khurram Afzal⁵, Samina Afzal⁶, Khizar Abbas⁶, Muhammad Arfat Yameen⁷, Yasser M. S A. Al-Kharaman⁷, Muhammad Imran Amirzada⁷, Ryan J R. McCleary⁸, Albert A Rizvanov⁹, Muhammad Hassham Hassan Bin Asad¹⁰
¹ Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
² Department of Pharmacy, LMDC, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
³ Department of Chemistry, Abbottabad University of Science and Technology, Abbottabad, Pakistan
⁴ Department of Zoology, Division of Science and Technology, University of Education, Multan Campus, Pakistan
⁵ Institute of Food Sciences, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan
⁶ Faculty of Pharmacy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan
⁷ Department of Pharmacy, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Pakistan
⁸ Department of Biology, 421 N, Woodland Blvd, Stetson University, DeLand, Florida, United States
⁹ Department of Genetics, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
¹⁰ Department of Pharmacy, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Pakistan; Department of Genetics, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia

Abstract:

Background: Snakebite is a commonly neglected tropical disease globally. According to the World Health Organization, tens of thousands of deaths have been reported due to the venomous snakes previously. Among such snakes, vipers of the genus Echis are extremely important clinically. In folk medicine, plants are commonly used for the treatment of snakebites even though snake venom antiserum is the only efficacious treatment currently known. Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the inhibitory potential of extracts from Pakistani medicinal plants against protease enzyme abundant in Echis carinatus venom. Materials and Methods: Organic extracts from different indigenous plant species and parts were used for in vitro determination of their inhibition against protease activity in snake venom. Active methanolic extracts were further fractioned using different solvents, and these fractions were also tested for antiprotease activity. Results: Results of this study show that Calotropis procera (Wild.) R. Br., Matthiola incana (L.) R. Br., and Terminalia arjuna Wight and Arn were able to neutralize the protease enzyme by 63%, 71%, and 66%, respectively. Trichodesma indicum (L.) R. Br. showed 51% inhibition of protease activity. Conclusion: The present study indicated about C. procera (Wild.) R. Br., M. incana (L.) R. Br., and T. arjuna Wight and Arn possessed inhibitor (s) against protease enzyme present in E. carinatus venom and would be worthwhile for development as treatment against envenomation in future.