Experimental Evaluation of Anticancer and Antileishmanial Activity of Bungarus Fasciatus and Bungarus Caeruleus Snake Venom

Natural products are used from ancient time as potential therapeutic agents against various pathophysiological conditions throughout the world. Worldwide search is continuously going on for better treatment and management of the diseases at different stages, which include several natural products or their purified compounds as drugs on experimental basis. Among the natural products; animals and animal products played significant beneficial role against several diseases (Costa-Neto and Marques, 2000). In Indian, Chinese, Cuban traditional medicine, Homeopathy, Ayurveda use of animal products (venom, horn, bone, dung, etc) has been mentioned (Gomes et al., 2011). Among the animal products venom of different species had been reported to be used in several pathophysiological conditions. Venom-toxins are of interest in drug design for their capability to mimic interesting pharmacological properties (Harvey et al., 1998).Venom is one of the deadly poisons of several species have immense biomedical importance. Snake venom, which is secreted from specialized venom gland, is the mixture of proteins, enzymes, non-protein substances, metal, combination of bioactive proteins and polypeptides and acts like toxin (Doley and Kini, 2009). These toxins not only help snakes for prey capture and defense but they also possess bioactive molecules/properties. This natural resource has been used as powerful probes for elucidating complex biological processes of vital importance (Pal et al., 2002). Snake venom may serve as starting material for drug development to combat several pathophysiological conditions. Snake venom as medicine was used by human civilization for centuries.Snake venom toxins have widely diverse characteristics. Sushruta (7th century, B.C.), an Indian physician used snake venom to prolong life. Charak used snake venom for “Udara Roga”. Ayurvedic system of medicine used the venom after “Shodhana” i.e. detoxification. Chinese physicians used snake venom routinely to treat stroke. In homeopathy medicines vipers, crotalus, cobra venoms are used. Two antibacterial components from Pseudechis australis snake venom had been isolated which were more potent than standard drug tetracycline used in Aeromonas infections (Stiles et al., 1991). Aggrastat isolated from Echis carinatus had been used as antiplatelet drug (Hartman et al., 1992). Disintegrins from American copperhead snake venom(Agkistrodon contortrix) was used against gliomas as it prevents cells from sticking together and prevent interaction with surrounding tissue (Trikha et al., 1994). In deep vein thrombosis myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolus like condition, defibrinating agents like ancrod from Malayan pitviper, batroxobin from Bothrops atrox and crotalase from Crotalus adamanteus had been used (Markland, 1998). Naja kaouthia (Indian monocellate cobra) venom showed anti-arthritic activity in experimental rat model.