ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Envenomation causes an estimated 1.8-2.5 million incidences per year with a mortality level of 100-125,000 persons annually and more than 100,000 individuals suffer from severe complications, which may end in amputation of the attacked limb. The use of plants is a major part of the traditional practitioners' treatment of snakebites. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A database was created for plants used to treat snakebites worldwide. From this database, we selected five countries with a high number of entries and representing different cultures, geography and floristic zones: Brazil, Nicaragua, Nepal, China and South Africa. The datasets were analysed by regression and binominal analysis to see if any family or genus used against snakebites was overrepresented in the respective traditional medicinal systems relative to the abundance in the local flora. The families from the different geographical areas were compared to ascertain whether the same plant families are preferred by different peoples. RESULTS: Three 'hot' families (Apocynaceae, Lamiaceae and Rubiaceae) were recovered in at least two of the five compared countries in the regression analyses and one 'hot' family (Zingiberaceae) was recovered in two of the compared countries in the binomial analyses. Four out of five floras possess families identified as outliers in both regression and binomial analyses. Eight families were recovered by both the binomial and the regression analysis (40-62% of all highlighted families respectively). At the genus level, only Piper (Piperaceae) was recovered as a 'hot' genus in at least two floras. Seven genera were highlighted by both analyses (25-44% of the highlighted genera). CONCLUSIONS: Cross-cultural comparison of medicinal floras used against snakebites appears to be useful for highlighting candidate families and genera for further studies.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Envenomation causes an estimated 1.8-2.5 million incidences per year with a mortality level of 100-125,000 persons annually and more than 100,000 individuals suffer from severe complications, which may end in amputation of the attacked limb. The use of plants is a major part of the traditional practitioners' treatment of snakebites. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A database was created for plants used to treat snakebites worldwide. From this database, we selected five countries with a high number of entries and representing different cultures, geography and floristic zones: Brazil, Nicaragua, Nepal, China and South Africa. The datasets were analysed by regression and binominal analysis to see if any family or genus used against snakebites was overrepresented in the respective traditional medicinal systems relative to the abundance in the local flora. The families from the different geographical areas were compared to ascertain whether the same plant families are preferred by different peoples. RESULTS: Three 'hot' families (Apocynaceae, Lamiaceae and Rubiaceae) were recovered in at least two of the five compared countries in the regression analyses and one 'hot' family (Zingiberaceae) was recovered in two of the compared countries in the binomial analyses. Four out of five floras possess families identified as outliers in both regression and binomial analyses. Eight families were recovered by both the binomial and the regression analysis (40-62% of all highlighted families respectively). At the genus level, only Piper (Piperaceae) was recovered as a 'hot' genus in at least two floras. Seven genera were highlighted by both analyses (25-44% of the highlighted genera). CONCLUSIONS: Cross-cultural comparison of medicinal floras used against snakebites appears to be useful for highlighting candidate families and genera for further studies.
Authors: Rômulo R N Alves; Vanessa N Silva; Dilma M B M Trovão; José V Oliveira; José S Mourão; Thelma L P Dias; Ângelo G C Alves; Reinaldo F P Lucena; Raynner R D Barboza; Paulo F G P Montenegro; Washington L S Vieira; Wedson M S Souto Journal: J Ethnobiol Ethnomed Date: 2014-03-27 Impact factor: 2.733
Authors: Monique Silva Martines; Mirian M Mendes; Maria H M Shimizu; Veridiana Melo Rodrigues; Isac de Castro; Sebastião R Ferreira Filho; Denise M A C Malheiros; Luis Yu; Emmanuel A Burdmann Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-02-14 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Polianna L M M Albuquerque; Camilla N Jacinto; Geraldo B Silva Junior; Juliana B Lima; Maria do Socorro B Veras; Elizabeth F Daher Journal: Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo Date: 2013 Sep-Oct Impact factor: 1.846
Authors: Juliana Félix-Silva; Raquel Brandt Giordani; Arnóbio Antonio da Silva; Silvana Maria Zucolotto; Matheus de Freitas Fernandes-Pedrosa Journal: Evid Based Complement Alternat Med Date: 2014-06-05 Impact factor: 2.629