THE POTENTIAL OF <em>MIMOSA</em> <em>PUDICA</em> (MIMOSACEAE) AGAINST SNAKE ENVENOMATION

Abstract

VEJAYAN, J., IBRAHIM, H. & OTHMAN, I. 2007. The potential of Mimosa pudica (Mimosaceae) against
snake envenomation. In this study, neutralization of the lethal effects of Naja naja kaouthia venom was
investigated by co-incubating the venom with water extracts of various plants. The mixture of venom-extract was then injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) into mice. From the 17 plants screened, only Mimosa pudica (Mimosaceae) showed 100% ability in neutralizing the 2LD₅₀ lethality of this venom. This plant was also found to show 50% or more ability in neutralizing the 2LD₅₀ toxicity of other venoms, namely, Ophiophagus hannah, Bungarus candidus, B. fasciatus and Calloselasma rhodostoma. Its active fraction (MP188ECT3) also showed interaction towards N. n. kaouthia venom. This was based on results of the 2-D electrophoresis (2-DE) established by using immobilized pH gradient 3–10 on this venom. Some spots representing proteins were found missing upon combining the venom with 0.7 mg of the fraction prior to 2-DE. Among these are isomers of a lethal protein identified by MALDI-TOF MS as phospholipase A₂ which have been significantly found to disappear in the treated gel compared with the 2-DE gel of the venom only. Results of the double immunodiffusion study showed binding capabilities between MP188ECT3 fraction and venom preparations
with the formation of a venom-antivenom precipitin line. These results demonstrated the potential use of
M. pudica as an antivenom agent of plant origin against five poisonous snake venoms found in Malaysia.