Anti-venom Activity of Mucuna pruriens Leaves Extract Against Cobra Snake (Naja hannah) Venom

Aim: The study was done to investigate the anti-venom activity of Mucuna pruriens leaves extract against cobra snake (Naja hannah) venom.

Study Design: The mice were randomly grouped into six groups (A, B, C, D, E, and F) of five rats each. Group A served as the normal control (no induction), and the mice in the group were given normal saline (1ml/kg/body weight).Group B served as the test control (snake venom was induced but no treatment administered), Group C served as the standard control (snake venom was induced and treated with antivenin, a standard drug), Group D, E and F were all induced with the cobra snake venom and treated with ethanolic extracts of the leaves of M. pruriens for 14 days.

Methodology: The induction with cobra snake venom was done with 0.075mg/kg b.w of venom and thereafter the treatment with M. pruriens extract for Group D, E and F were done with 40 mg/ kg, 60 mg/ kg and 80 mg/ kg respectively intraperitoneally in the mice. Serum blood of the animals was used to assay for total cholesterol, bilirubin, AST, ALT, GSH and catalase levels after 14days.

Result: The injection of crude venom of cobra snake (Naja hannah) caused an increase in cholesterol, AST, ALT, bilirubin, catalase and glutathione in envenomated mice which significantly reduced (p<0.05) compared to all the controls after 14 days of treatment with the extract.

Conclusion: The results suggests that 80 mg/ kg of the plant extract is more effective than the standard drug, therefore M. pruriens leaves has a greater anti-venom potential for curing snake bite, than antivenin.