Pharmacological activity of Costus spicatus in experimental Bothrops atrox envenomation. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • CONTEXT: Medicinal plants encompass a rich source of active compounds that can neutralize snake venoms or toxins. Costus spicatus (Jacq.) Sw. (Costaceae) is used by the Amazonian population to treat inflammation, pain and other pathological manifestations. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of C. spicatus aqueous extract on edema, peritonitis, nociception, coagulation, haemorrhage and indirect haemolytic activity induced by Bothrops atrox venom (BAV). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dried and pulverized leaves were extracted with distilled water. Envenoming was induced by administration of B. atrox snake venom in Swiss Webster mice. The experimental groups consisted of BAV (at the minimum dose to induce measurable biological responses) and C. spicatus extract (CSE, 1.25, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10mg/kg/25l phosphate-buffered saline) administered individually and in combination (BAVCSE). PBS was used as a control. In vitro assays were also conducted in order to evaluate phospholipase A2 coagulant activities (indirect haemolytic method). RESULTS: CSE significantly reduced the venom-induced edema and nociception at all concentrations tested and inhibited migration of inflammatory cells at the three least concentrations (5.0, 7.5 and 10mg/kg/25l PBS). CSE was not effective in inhibiting coagulant, haemorrhagic and indirect haemolytic activities of the venom. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The data suggest that CSE could exhibit a central mechanism for pain inhibition, and may also inhibit prostaglandin synthesis. These findings corroborate the traditional administration of C. spicatus decoction to treat inflammatory disorders, including those caused by B. atrox envenomation.

published proceedings

  • Pharm Biol

altmetric score

  • 0.75

author list (cited authors)

  • Picano, L., Bittencourt, J., Henriques, S., da Silva, J. S., Oliveira, J., Ribeiro, J. R., ... Silva, J.

citation count

  • 11

complete list of authors

  • Picanço, Leide Caroline Dos Santos||Bittencourt, José Adolfo Homobono Machado||Henriques, Shayanne Vanessa Correia||da Silva, Juliane Silva||Oliveira, Juliana Maria da Silva||Ribeiro, José Renato||Sanjay, Antony-Babu||Carvalho, José Carlos Tavares||Stien, Didier||Silva, Jocivânia Oliveira da

publication date

  • January 2016