Isolation and identification of anti Echis ocellatus venom agent from Catunaregam nilotica (STAPF) root-bark extract

Abstract

Snakebite envenomation remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in tropical and subtropical regions, with conventional antivenom therapy facing limitations such as cost, hypersensitivity reactions, and limited effectiveness against local tissue damage. This study aimed to isolate and characterize a bioactive antivenom compound from the root-bark extract of Catunaregam nilotica, a medicinal plant widely used in African ethnomedicine for the treatment of snakebite. Dried root-bark of Catunaregam nilotica was extracted using absolute methanol and fractionated via successive solvent partitioning into n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and butanol fractions. The n-hexane fraction, which exhibited the highest inhibitory activity against phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity was subjected to column chromatography to yield column chromatographic fractions (CPFs). These were screened in vitro for their inhibitory activity against snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs) and PLA2 enzymes. The most potent chromatographic pooled fraction was characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy techniques. Among the CPF18-b demonstrated the most potent inhibitory activity, significantly (p