[Use of medicinal plants against scorpionic and ophidian venoms]

Arch Inst Pasteur Tunis. 2007;84(1-4):49-55.
[Article in French]

Abstract

The scorpionic and ophidian envenomations are a serious public health problem in Tunisia especially in Southeastern regions. In these regions Artemisia campestris L is a plant well known which has a very important place in traditional medicine for its effectiveness against alleged venom of scorpions and snakes. In this work, we tested for the first time, the anti-venomous activity of Artemisia campestris L against the scorpion Androctonus australis garzonii and the viper Macrovipera lebetina venoms. Assays were conducted by fixing the dose of extract to3 mg/mouse while doses of venom are variable. The leaves of Artemisia campestris L were extracted by various organic solvents (Ether of oil, ethyl acetate, methanol and ethanol) and each extract was tested for its venom neutralizing capacity. For the ethanolic extract, a significant activity with respect to the venoms of scorpion Androctonus australis garzonii (Aag), was detected. Similarly, a significant neutralizing activity against the venom of a viper Macrovipera lebetina (Ml), was obtained with the dichloromethane extract. These results suggest the presence of two different type of chemical components in this plant: those neutralizing the venom of scorpion are soluble in ethanol whereas those neutralizing the venom of viper are soluble in dichloromethane.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Artemisia* / chemistry
  • Biological Assay
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Ethanol
  • Humans
  • Lethal Dose 50
  • Medicine, Traditional*
  • Methanol
  • Mice
  • Phytotherapy / methods*
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use
  • Plant Leaves
  • Scorpion Stings / drug therapy
  • Scorpion Stings / epidemiology
  • Scorpion Venoms / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Scorpions
  • Snake Bites / drug therapy
  • Snake Bites / epidemiology
  • Solubility
  • Solvents
  • Tunisia / epidemiology
  • Viper Venoms / antagonists & inhibitors*

Substances

  • Plant Extracts
  • Scorpion Venoms
  • Solvents
  • Viper Venoms
  • Ethanol
  • Methanol