Evaluation the Effects of Bezoar on Survival Duration and Attenuation of Complications of Echis Carinatus Snake Venom Poisoning in Mice

  M.R. Heidari [1] Gh.R. Sepehri [2] , M.J. Zahedi [3] , R. Sheibani Tezerji [4]

  Received: 11/06/06 Sent for Revision: 01/11/06 Received Revised Manuscript: 31/01/09 Accepted: 02/02/09

  Background and Objectives: Snakebite treatment is one of the major difficulties in medicine due to its dangerous side effects. Intravenous anti- snake venom is the most common treatment in snake venom toxicity. Bezoar, a stone found in the stomach of wild goat, is widely reputed against various diseases, including snakebite, in traditional medicine among the tribes in southeast of Iran. But its efficacy against snakebite poisoning is not determined, yet. This study was performed to evaluate the Bezoar effect on the clinical signs, mean survival duration and the autopsy findings (pathologic signs) of experimental mice receiving various doses of crude Echis carinatus snake venom.

  Material and Methods: In this experimental investigation, the natural crude snake venom was serially diluted and 10% & 2% concentrations of the venom were used. Various experimental doses of Bezoar (6, 50, 100 & 200 mg/kg/i.p) were injected, 20 min before 2% snake venom intra peritoneal administration. The clinical signs, mean survival duration and autopsy findings were recorded and compared with control mice which received saline , 20 min before snake venom administration. In case of using 10% concentration snake venom, mice received only 100 mg/kg/ i.p of Bezoar, 20 min before snake venom administration.

  Results: The results of this study showed that Echis carinatus snake venom caused pain, progressive edema and death in mice. The Bezoar (50 & 100 mg/kg) increased the survival duration of mice receiving 2% dilution of Echis carinatus snake venom significantly as compared to controls (p<0.01). The dose of 100 mg/kg of Bezore increased the survival duration from 213.8 to 705 min in comparison to control group (p<0.01). Also the Bezoar significantly antagonized the pathologic signs (such as bleeding in the retroperitoneal space, thoracic cavity and CNS and lung vascular congestion) induced by Echis carinatus snake venom in mice. The exact mechanism(s) by which the Bezoar prolongs the survival duration and attenuates (diminishes) the pathologic signs of Echis carinatus snake venom in mice is not understood completely and needs further investigations to elucidate the underlying mechanism (s).

  Conclusion: Pretreatment of mice with Bezore increased the survival duration of mice and decreased the pathologic signs (such as bleeding in the retroperitoneal space, thoracic cavityand CNS and lung vascular congestion) induced by Echis carinatus snake venom in mice. The exact mechanisms must be elucidated in other investigations.

  Key words: Echis carinatus venom, Survival time, Bezoar, Autopsy finding

  Funding: This research was financially supported by Kerman Neuroscience Research Centre (KNRC).

  Conflict of interest: None declared.

  Ethical approval: The Ethic Committee of Vice Chancellor of Kerman University of Medical Sciences approved the study. .

  [1] - Prof. of Toxicology-Pharmacology, Pharmacy School, Pharmaceutics, Neuroscience and Physiology Research Centers, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

  (Corresponding Author) Tel: (0341) 3205001, Fax: (0341) 3205003, E-mail: heidarimr@yahoo.com

  [2] - Prof. of Pharmacology, Neuroscience and Physiology Research Center, University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

  [3] - Internal Medicine Medical School, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

  [4] - Veterinarian, Kazeroon Azad University, Kazeroon, Iran