The present management regime of snake bites requires the use of anti-venom immunoglobulins (Igs). However, these anti-venoms have the limitations of being expensive, requiring cold storage facilities, and having problems of hypersensitivity reactions in some individuals. Amaranthus spinosus plant medicine has traditionally been used in managing snake bites in UasinGishu County, Kenya. However, its efficacy has not been scientifically validated. Therefore, this study aimed to determine in vivo and in vitro the efficacy of the medicinal plant against Naja subfulva venom using the mouse model, agarose-erythrocyte-egg yolk gel plate, and humancitrated plasma methods. The antivenom studies suggest that the aqueous plant extracts possess antivenom activity against N. subfulva venom both in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, this study confirmed that aqueous extracts of Amaranthus spinosus were effective in neutralizing in vivo and in vitro snake venom activity of Naja subfulva.

Keywords : Median effective dose (ED50), Median lethal dose (LD50), Phospholipase A2, Toxicity, Phytochemicals.