In Indian
traditional medicine, various plants have been used widely as a remedy for treating
snake bites. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Tamarindus indica seed extract on the pharmacological as well as the enzymatic effects induced by V. russelli
venom. Tamarind seed extract inhibited the PLA(2),
protease,
hyaluronidase,
l-amino acid oxidase and
5'-nucleotidase enzyme activities of
venom in a dose-dependent manner. These are the major hydrolytic
enzymes responsible for the early effects of envenomation, such as local tissue damage,
inflammation and
hypotension. Furthermore, the extract neutralized the degradation of the Bbeta chain of human
fibrinogen and indirect
hemolysis caused by
venom. It was also observed that the extract exerted a moderate effect on the clotting time, prolonging it only to a small extent.
Edema,
hemorrhage and myotoxic effects including lethality, induced by
venom were neutralized significantly when different doses of the extract were preincubated with
venom before the assays. On the other hand, animals that received extract 10 min after the injection of
venom were protected from
venom induced toxicity. Since it inhibits hydrolytic
enzymes and pharmacological effects, it may be used as an alternative treatment to serum
therapy and, in addition, as a rich source of potential inhibitors of PLA(2),
metalloproteinases,
serine proteases, hyaluronidases and 5 cent-
nucleotidases, the
enzymes involved in several physiopathological human and
animal diseases.