| dc.description.abstract | Accidents caused by venomous animals are a serious public health problem. In Brazil, most
accidents are associated with snakes of the genus Bothrops and the scorpion of the genus Tityus.
Currently, the main available treatment is the antivenom serum therapy, which has some limitations,
such as inability to neutralize local effects, risks of immunological reactions, high cost and difficult
access in some regions. In this context, the search for new complementary alternatives to treat
venomous animals is relevant. Jatropha mollissima (Pohl) Baill., (Euphorbiaceae), a medicinal plant
popularly known in Brazil as "pinhão bravo" is very used in folk medicine as antiophidic and antiinflammatory. Given the relevance of systemic effects of B. jararaca venom and T. serrulatus venom
envenoming, the aim of the present work was evaluate the inhibitory efficacy of aqueous extract from
leaves of J. mollissima upon systemic effects induced by these venoms. The effect of oral treatment
with aqeous extract upon hematological, hemostatic, biochemical alterations and oxidative stress in
response to B. jararaca vemom injection was evaluated in mice; and pulmonary edema, biochemical
alterations and oxidative stress produced in response to T. serrulatus venom. Extract reduced
significantly the effect of venom upon fibrinogen, platelets and activated partial thromboplastin time
(APTT), indicating the action of extract upon hemostatic effects of B. jararaca venom. The extract
also inhibited B. jararaca venom effects on leukocyte blood series, which indicates benefitial effects
upon inflammatory processes. The extract was also able to reduce significantly the renal, hepatic,
muscular and pancreatic toxicity of B. jararaca venom, by reverting the effects upon serum levels of
urea, uric acid, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate
dehydrogenase (LDH) and amylase. The extract inhibited the hepatic and renal oxidative stress of B.
jararaca venom, indicating a possible antioxidant action. In addition, pulmonary edema induced by
T. serrulatus venom was inhibited significantly by extract. Myeloperoxidase and IL-6 and IL-1β
cytokines were reduced in the presence of extract, indicating benefitial effects upon inflammatory
processes. The extract was also able to reduce significantly the renal, hepatic, muscular and pancreatic
toxicity of T. serrulatus venom, by reverting the effects upon serum levels LDH, creatine kinase
(CK), urea, creatinine, AST and amylase suggesting an inhibition of hepatic, renal and pancreatic
damage. The extract inhibited the hepatic and renal oxidative stress of T. serrulatus venom, indicating
a possible antioxidant action. In vitro, J. mollissima was able to inhibit hemolysis and cytotoxicity
against MDCK cells, indicating that the absence of toxicity and, finally, the extract showed
antioxidant activity in different models. Thus, it is concluded that the extract of J. mollissima posseses
compounds able of decresae systemic alterations induced by B. jararaca and T. serrulatus, indicating
the potentiality of this vegetal species as a source of bioactive molecules against bothropic and scorpionic venoms. | |
