Effects of Crude Stem Bark Extract of Kigelia Africana on Local Tissue Damage in Rat Treated With Naja Nigricollis Venom

This study investigated the effects of crude stem bark extract of Kigelia africana on local tissue damage in albino rats treated with Naja nigricollis venom. Lethal, myotoxic and edema- inducing effects were examined in rats using experiments involving co-injection and separate injection of venom and extract. The venom exhibited a mean lethal dose (LD50) of 1.634mg/kg when administered intraperitoneally (i.p) in rats. At a venom challenge dose of 3×LD50,the extract was effective in neutralizing these lethal effects with a median effective dose (ED50)of 83.18 mg/kg when the venom and extract were injected together. Separate injection of the extract, 5 and 10 min after the venom challenge, showed ED50 of 141.25 and 511.76 mg/kg respectively. In addition, the extract reduced significantly (ρ<0.05) myotoxic and edema-inducing activities of the venom evident by decreases in serum creatine kinase levels and footpad weight of rats respectively. The extents of neutralization of venom activities by extract were higher when venom and extract were co-injected than when injected separately. These results suggest that administration of K. africana extract may be useful in the management of N. nigricollis envenomation.