Evaluation of the antiviperine effect of the ethanolic extract of Aristolochia schippii (Standl) against the venoms of Agkistrodon bilineatus and Bothrops asper

Abstract

This work aimed to evaluate some antiviperin actions of A. schippii against the venoms of A. bilineatus and B. asper and their phytochemical characterization. A qualitative phytochemical march and phytochemical characterization by UPLC-Ms, acute oral toxicity (OECD 423), antihemolytic evaluation in blood agar plates and antiproteolytic in casein, at different venom:extract w/w ratios, and antimyotoxic activity at doses of 600, 900 and 1,200 mg/kg by quantification of CK-MB activity and histology were performed. The results qualitatively evidenced alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, coumarins, and cardiotonic glycosides, and were detected by UPLC-Ms, aristolochic acid, and a bioactive antheoplastic compound, 10-hydroxycamptothecin; no signs of toxicity or lethality were evidenced at the dose of 2,000 mg/kg. The antihemolytic and antiproteolytic activity decreased significantly (P<0.05), without following a dose-dependent relationship of the venom-extract relationship. The antimyotoxic activity showed partial protection against B. asper at a dose of 600 mg/kg and against A. bilineatus at a dose of 1,200 mg/kg (P<0.05); the histological study showed partial protection due to an improvement in structural organization and low evidence of myonecrosis, as well as the presence of edema in the musculoskeletal system. It is concluded that the ethanolic extract showed the presence of different metabolites such as flavonoids, coumarins, and reducing sugars, while the UPLC-Ms showed the presence of two bioactive components with possible antiviperine activity, such as aristolochic acid and 10-hydroxycamptothecin; also, the extract showed partial protection against hemolytic, proteolytic and myotoxic activities.