The Antivenom Activity of Phytochemicals: An Emerging Role in Modern Medicine
Abstract
Many plants were used as antivenoms by aboriginal people, so villagers have also used them. However, ignorance and superstition can cause people to lose their lives. Accordingly, the antivenom properties of plants should be identified and proved in the system of modern medicine. Various secondary metabolites are present in medicinal plants, and they contribute to their diverse pharmacological properties. We are still deciphering how ethnobotanical research can help us more in discovering medicinal plants for the treatment of various health conditions. This is because pharmacology deals with how drugs interact with biological systems. Drugs are classified in terms of their history, sources, chemical properties, biological effects, and therapeutic uses. A preliminary pharmacological study
is the first step in developing herbal medicines. Then, the standardization of extracts or fractions is undertaken by using approved scientific methods. Finally, the herbal medicines are subjected to systematic clinical and pharmacological testing. To ensure the safety and efficacy of drugs, we must consider modern technologies. Medicinal plants can be used to produce a wide variety of drugs. Such plants should be studied to learn more about their properties, safety, and efficacy. Several medicinal plants have accepted therapeutic values, and these were investigated as potential treatment drugs for snake bites. A major public health concern in tropical countries, especially in India, is snakebite. As a result of unplanned development programs, modern healthcare facilities, and the impact of modern civilization, natural resources, and traditional knowledge are disappearing at an alarming rate all across the world. Therefore,
we should explore and document the unique, ancestral, and traditional knowledge of tribal communities.
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