Onyeama, H. P., Ahmed, M.S, Ebong, P. E., Igile G. O., Eteng, M. U., Ibekwe, H. A., Peter, A. and Ukpanukpong, R. U
Effects of selective solvent extracts of C. portoricensis on the aminotransferases and creatine kinase were studied to ascertain their potency in ameliora ting the haemotoxicity of venom of carpet viper ( Echis ocellatus ) in wistar rats. A total of 30 wistar rats were us ed, divided into 6 rats per group of control, venom, venom/flavonoid-rich, venom/polyphe nol-rich and venom/whole ethanolic extracts. The control group was given nothing while the other groups were given 200 μ g venom/rat and 0.5ml of 100mg/100g body weight (b.w) of rat as “antidote” con centration. This “antidote” was given 4-6 hours intramuscularly after the administration of the vip erian venom. There was increase in the aminotransferases (P<0.05) in the treatment groups when compared to the control. When compared to the venom-treated and control groups, the C. portoricensis groups showed a marked decrease (P<0.05-p<0.01) of creatine kinase. The Aspartate a minotransferase (AST) – Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio showed a marked increase (P<0.01) in th e venom group and a corresponding marked decrease (P<0.01) in the flavonoid-rich, polyphenol -rich and whole ethanolic extracts groups. These findings suggest that selective solvent extracts of C. portoricensis may be effective in attenuating these enzymes- linked lethality of carpet viper stri ke.
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