ANTIVENOM PROPERTIES OF THE STEM BARK OF SCHUMANNIOPHYTON MAGNIFICUM ON BITIS GABONICA VENOM

NNANGA NGA^1,2,*, EBA OBAM^{1, 2}, NYANGONO NDONGO^1,2, DJAPANA GAMBESSO¹, BENGA MEKOULOU ^{1, 4}, KAGOUE SIMENI⁴, MPONDO MPONDO^{1, 3}

¹Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical sciences, University of Douala, PO BOX: 2701 Douala, Cameroon.

²Department of Galenic, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical sciences, University of Yaounde I, PO BOX: 1364 Yaounde, Cameroon.

³Department of Pharmacotoxicology and Pharmacokinetics, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, PO BOX: 1364 Yaounde, Cameroon.

⁴University of Buea, Faculty of Health Sciences.

Afr. J Pharm Res Dev; Volume 12(2): 152-156 ; 2020

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antivenom properties of Schumanniophyton magnificum; a plant of the Rubiaceae family used in the treatment of snake bites in several rural localities of Cameroon. After harvesting and identification, hydro ethanolic solvent was used for the extraction of the plant by using 2.526 kg of powder of stem bark of the plant. In vitro activity tests were carried out to evaluate the effect of the plant on the activity of phospholipase A2 using egg yolk, and on hemolysis induced by Bitis gabonica venom on red blood cells of rats. In vivo, the effect of Schumanniophyton magnificum on the venom was assessed by evaluating the response on the fever induced by the venom. Hydro ethanolic extracts of the Schumanniophyton magnificum stem bark showed significant inhibition of phospholipase A2 with optimal activity. The plant also inhibited the hemolytic activity of viper venom on red blood cells. Schumanniophyton magnificum decreased the rectal temperature of animals. It appears from the present study that Schumanniophyton magnificum has antivenom properties against the bites of Bitis gabonica viper.

Email of correspondence:ngnnanga@yahoo.fr;

KEYWORDS: Antivenom, Bitis gabonica, Schumanniophyton magnificum, Venom.