Assessment of the Effects of Harvesting Period of Clusia fluminensis Planch. and Triana Fruits on Neutralization of the Toxic Activities of Bothrops jararacussu Snake Venom.

Snakebite envenomation is a public health issue that can lead to mortality and physical consequences. It is estimated that 5.4 million venomous snake bites occur annually, with 130 000 deaths and 400 000 amputations. The available treatment is serotherapy, which is inefficient in preventing physical sequelae. Thus, it is critical to seek efficient treatments. Here, we assessed the efficacy of fruits from Clusia fluminensis harvested at different time periods over 1 year against the toxicity of Bothrops jararacussu venom. The extracts were incubated with B. jararacussu venom, and the in vitro (coagulant and proteolytic) and in vivo (hemorrhagic, edematogenic, and lethal) activities of the venom were assessed. Moreover, B. jararacussu venom was injected 30 min before the extract injection to evaluate hemorrhagic activity. Little variation in the chemical composition of the fruit extracts from C. fluminensis or their ability to inhibit the toxic effects of B. jararacussu venom was observed. When administered after venom injection, the C. fluminensis extracts inhibited hemorrhage caused by B. jararacussu venom. Thus, the plant collection period should be considered to achieve the highest antivenom potential.