title: Inhibition of Naja nigricolis (Reinhardt) venom protease activity by Luffa egyptiaca (Mill) and Nicotiana rustica (Linn) extracts.
abstract: Luffa egyptiaca and Nicotiana rustica are used in traditional medicine to treat snakebites and were evaluated for inhibitory activities on Naja nigricolis venom protease. The aqueous and ethanolic extracts of L. egyptiaca significantly reduced the maximum velocity (Vmax) and the computed index of physiological efficiency (Kcat) of the enzyme in a dose dependent fashion. The protease activity was non-competitively inhibited by the aqueous extract of N. rustica with the Vmax significantly decreased and the K(M) remained unchanged. However, the N. rustica ethanol extract completely inhibited the protease activity. Ethyl acetate fractions partitioned from ethanol extracts of both plants were also found to completely inhibit the N. nigricolis venom protease activity at 0.1 and 0.05%. The use of these plants could be important in the treatment of snakebites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistryi, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. mauwalibrahim@gmail.com
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Aliyu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abusufiyanu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bashir
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Sallau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004546:Elapid Venoms / Q000201:enzymology*; D017815:Elapidae; D029776:Luffa / Q000737:chemistry*; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004546:Elapid Venoms; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases