Efficacy of tannins from Mimosa pudica and tannic acid in neutralizing cobra (Naja kaouthia) venom

• Published in: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases
• Main Authors: FY Sia, J Vejayan, A Jamuna, S Ambu
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: SciELO 2011
• Subjects: plant extract; snake venom; therapy; tannin; phospholipase A2; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Toxicology. Poisons; RA1190-1270; Zoology; QL1-991; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S1678-91992011000100006; https://doaj.org/article/02a0dd63e9094e4495393b5390e01feb

In the present study, the effectiveness of Mimosa pudica tannins (MPT) in neutralizing the lethality of Naja kaouthia venom was compared with commercially derived tannins. Preincubation of MPT with N. kaouthia venom maintained 100% survival of mice after 24 hours. The mouse group in which there was no preincubation, no protection against the effects of the venom was observed. M. pudica tannin was found to be more effective in neutralizing the lethality of N. kaouthia venom when compared to commercial tannic acid. Two protein spots were missing in the two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) of the MPT treated mouse indicating the down-regulation of venom proteins. The results from this study indicated that tannins obtained from M. pudica are better than tannic acid in neutralizing the lethality of N. kaouthia venom in vitro. However, further investigations are required to establish that M. pudica has potential for treating N. kaouthia snakebites.