Carolina Harder
1, Akila Lara de Oliveira
2, Andreia Borges Scriboni
3, Adélia Cristina Oliveira Cintra
4, Raphael Schezaro-Ramos
5, Márcio Galdino dos Santos
6, Karina Cogo-Müller
7, Regina Yuri Hashimoto Miura
1, Rafael Stuani Floriano
5, Sandro Rostelato-Ferreira
1, Yoko Oshima-Franco
2*1 Institute of Health Sciences, Universidade Paulista (Unip), Av. Independência 210, 18087-100, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil.
2 University of Sorocaba (Uniso), Rodovia Raposo Tavares km 92.5, 18023-000, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil.
3 Department of Pharmacology, Piracicaba Dental School, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Av. Limeira 901, 13414-903, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
4 Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis and Bromatology, São Paulo University (USP), Via do Café S/N, 14040-903, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
5 Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo 126, 13083-887, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
6 Tocantins Federal University (UFT), Av. NS 15, ALC NO14, 109 Norte, 77001-090, Palmas, TO, Brazil.
7 Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Rua Cândido Portinari, 200, 13083-871, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
Abstract
Purpose: Bothrops
snakes are responsible for more than 70 % of snakebites every year in Brazil
and their venoms cause severe local and systemic damages. The pharmacological
properties of medicinal plants have been widely investigated in order to
discover new alternative treatments for different classes of diseases including
neglected tropical diseases as envenomation by snakebites. In this work, we
have investigated the ability of Vochysia
haenkeana stem barks extract (VhE) to
neutralize the neuromuscular effects caused by Bothropstoxin-I (BthTX-I), the
major phospholipase A2 (PLA2) myotoxin from B. jararacussu venom.
Methods: The biological compounds of VhE were analysed
under thin layer chromatography (TLC) and its neutralizing ability against
BthTX-I was assessed through twitch-tension recordings and histological
analysis in mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm (PND) preparations. The antimicrobial
activity of VhE was assessed against S.
aureus, E. coli and P. aeruginosa
strains. The aggregation activity of VhE was analysed under protein
precipitation assay.
Results: VhE showed the presence of phenolic compound
visualized by blue trace under TLC. VhE abolished the neuromuscular blockade
caused by BthTX-I applying the pre-toxin incubation treatment and partially
neutralized the BthTX-I action under post-toxin incubation treatment; VhE
contributed slightly to decrease the myotoxicity induced by BthTX-I. The
neutralizing mechanism of VhE may be related to protein aggregation. VhE showed
no antimicrobial activity.
Conclusion: V. haenkeana extract
which has no antimicrobial activity exhibited neutralizing ability against the
neuromuscular blockade caused by BthTX-I and also contributed to decrease its
myotoxicity. Protein aggregation involving phenolic compounds may be related in
these protective effects.