Bothrops jararacussu venom-induced neuromuscular blockade inhibited by Casearia gossypiosperma Briquet hydroalcoholic extract

Abstract

The hydroalcoholic extract of Casearia gossypiosperma Briquet (Flacourtiaceae) was standardized for the first time through quality control procedures including pharmacognostic methods, fingerprint chromatograms, defined amounts of marker substances and physicochemical characteristics. The pharmacological activity of C. gossypiosperma (Cg) hydroalcoholic extract was assayed by a traditional in vitro test, which involved irreversible neuromuscular blockade induced by Bothrops jararacussu (Bjssu) venom (60 mu g/mL) in mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparations. Bjssu venom blocked muscle activity for 26 (+/- 2.0) minutes (n = 6). Cg extract (0.1 mg/mL) induced changes on the baseline muscle activity without impairing the muscle function and inhibited 87.6% (+/- 1.8) (n = 6) of the Bjssu venom-induced blockade. Both flavonoids (0.624 g%) and polyphenols (4.63 g%) from the extract were spectrophotometrically quantified. Therefore, the present study confirms the antibothropic activity of Cg extract, supporting the ethnomedical use of Casearia sp. in the treatment of snakebite victims.