Production of high titre antibody response against Russell's viper venom in mice immunized with ethanolic extract of fruits of Piper longum L. (Piperaceae) and piperine.
Piper longum L. fruits have been traditionally used against snakebites in north-eastern and southern region of India. The aim of the study was to assess the production of antibody response against Russell's viper venom in mice after prophylactic immunization with ethanolic extract of fruits of Piper longum L. and piperine. The mice sera were tested for the presence of antibodies against Russell's viper venom by in vitro lethality neutralization assay and in vivo lethality neutralization assay. Polyvalent anti-snake venom serum (antivenom) manufactured by Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceutical Corporation Ltd. was used as standard. Further confirmation of presence of antibodies against the venom in sera of mice immunized with PLE and piperine was done using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and double immunodiffusion test. Treatment with PLE-treated mice serum and piperine-treated mice serum was found to inhibit the lethal action of venom both in the in vitro lethality neutralization assay and in vivo lethality neutralization assay. ELISA testing indicated that there were significantly high (p<0.01) levels of cross reactions between the PLE and piperine treated mice serum and the venom antigens. In double immunodiffusion test, a white band was observed between the two wells of antigen and antibodies for both the PLE-treated and piperine-treated mice serum. Thus it can be concluded that immunization with ethanolic extract of fruits of Piper longum and piperine produced a high titre antibody response against Russell's viper venom in mice. The antibodies against PLE and piperine could be useful in antivenom therapy of Russell's viper bites. PLE and piperine may also have a potential interest in view of the development of antivenom formulations used as antidote against snake bites.
Department of Pharmacology, Progressive Education Society's Modern College of Pharmacy, Sector No. 21, Yamunanagar, Nigdi, Pune 411044, Maharashtra, India. Electronic address: priyank.shenoy@rediffmail.com.
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Shenoy
Department of Pharmacology, Progressive Education Society's Modern College of Pharmacy, Sector No. 21, Yamunanagar, Nigdi, Pune 411044, Maharashtra, India. Electronic address: sonynipate@rediffmail.com.
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Nipate
Department of Pharmacology, Progressive Education Society's Modern College of Pharmacy, Sector No. 21, Yamunanagar, Nigdi, Pune 411044, Maharashtra, India.
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Sonpetkar
Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceutical Corporation Ltd., Pimpri, Pune 411018, Maharashtra, India.
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Salvi
Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceutical Corporation Ltd., Pimpri, Pune 411018, Maharashtra, India.
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Waghmare
Department of Pharmacology, Progressive Education Society's Modern College of Pharmacy, Sector No. 21, Yamunanagar, Nigdi, Pune 411044, Maharashtra, India.
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Chaudhari
D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects*; D000997:Antivenins / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D052117:Benzodioxoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D007114:Immunization; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D031701:Piper / Q000737:chemistry*; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017840:Daboia; D012909:Snake Bites; D014757:Viper Venoms / Q000276:immunology*
D000470:Alkaloids; D000997:Antivenins; D052117:Benzodioxoles; D010880:Piperidines; D010936:Plant Extracts; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D014757:Viper Venoms; C008922:piperine
3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine; Antivenom; Doboia russelii; ELISA; LD(50); PBST; PLE; Piper longum; Piperine; Russell's viper; TMB; conventional polyvalent anti-snake venom serum; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; ethanolic extract of fruits of Piper longum L. (Piperaceae); i.p.; intraperitoneal; median lethal dose; phosphate buffered saline containing 0.1% Tween 80