Evaluation of Venom Neutralising Capacity of Indian Medicinal Plants by in vitro Methods

The aqueous extracts of the fruits of Emblica officinalis, leaves of Ocimum sanctum, bark of Azadirachta indica and bulbs of Allium sativum were tested for the snake venom neutralizing capacity using in vitro methods. The venom of Naja naja (Cobra) was used to evaluate the antivenom activity of these extracts. The parameters assessed were the neutralization of coagulant activity, fibrinolytic activity and phospholipase activity. All the extracts studied exhibited significant activity in neutralizing the venom effects and among the four extracts tested, Ocimum sanctum showed superior activity. The present study suggests the effectiveness of the above extracts in the treatment of snake bite and also supports the use of aqueous extracts by tribals and vaidyas.