Randomised Controlled Double-Blind Non-Inferiority Trial of Two Antivenoms for Saw-Scaled or Carpet Viper (Echis ocellatus) Envenoming in Nigeria

Snake bite threatens millions of poor rural folk throughout Africa. In Nigeria, as in many countries of sub-Saharan Africa, it takes a terrible toll on human life and limb. Over the years, the news for those exposed to snake bite has been generally bad: withdrawal of antivenom manufacturers, increasing cost and, most recently, the marketing of ineffective or fake antivenoms in the region. Our paper reports encouraging results achieved by two antivenoms created as a direct consequence of the present crisis in antivenom supply for Africa. They have been assessed in the most powerful trial ever attempted in this field. The trial showed that in people with non-clotting blood following carpet viper bite, the commonest cause of snake bite morbidity and mortality in the West African savannah, administration of the antivenoms- EchiTAb G and EchiTAb Plus-ICP led to permanent restoration of blood clotting in 76% and 83% of the patients within 6 hours, respectively. Generally mild early adverse reactions were recorded in 19% and 26%, respectively. Both antivenoms proved effective and acceptably safe and can be recommended for treating carpet viper envenoming in Nigeria

Hypoglycaemic activity of Vernonia amygdalina (chloroform extract) in normoglycaemic and alloxan-induced hyperglycaemic rats

The study was carried out to evaluate the hypoglycaemic effect of the crude chloroform extract of Vernonia amygdalina (leaves) on blood glucose concentration (BGC) of normoglycaemic and alloxan-induced hyperglycaemic rats. Adult male albino rats were randomly allocated into four groups. Group I animals served as untreated controls to normoglycaemic group II animals. Alloxan-induced hyperglycaemic rats of group III served as untreated controls to hyperglycaemic rats of group IV. Groups II and IV animals were treated with a single intraperitoneal (IP) dose of 750 mg/kg of crude chloroform extract of V. amygdalina. Control animals of groups I and III were administered equi-volume (per kilogram of body weight) of normal saline IP. The BGCs of all animals in each group were determined at 0, 0.5, 1, 4, 8 and 24 hours post-treatment with normal saline (controls) or the crude chloroform extract (treated groups). There was significant (P < 0.05) lowering of BGCs between 1 - 4 hours (for normoglycaemic rats) and 1 - 8 hours (for hyperglycaemic rats). Thus the crude chloroform extract of the leaves of V. amygdalina has a hypoglycaemic activity in both normoglycaemic and alloxan induced hyperglycaemic rats. This study lends support to the claim by herbalists of Plateau and Nassarawa States, that V. amygdalina may have an antidiabetic effect in diabetes mellitus. Key Words: Vernonia amygdalina, normoglycaemia, alloxan-induced hyperglycaemia, hypoglycaemic activity, diabetes mellitus Journal of Pharmacy and Bioresources Vol.1(1) 2004: 61-6