ASPECTOS DO OFIDISMO NO BRASIL E PLANTAS MEDICINAIS UTILIZADAS COMO COMPLEMENTO À SOROTERAPIA

Accidents caused by venomous snakes represent a serious public health problem, especially in
tropical countries, due to the frequency with which they occur and for morbidity and mortality that they
cause. These poisonings are characterized by local lesions, necrosis of the tissues, pain, and evident edema
beyond the bite site, local and systemic bleeding disorders. They are often treated by parenteral
administration of antiophidic serum. However, the neutralization of tissue damage usually does not occur. To
complement the serotherapy in snakebites, many plants of folk medicine are being studied for its large
quantity of chemicals and pharmacological activities. This review presents aspects of snakebite in Brazil,
characteristics of botropic snakes and venoms, serotherapy and medicinal plants used for snakebites.