Ethnomedicinal plants used for the treatment of snakebites in Nepal

Abstract

Background: Snakebite envenomation remains a critical public health issue in Nepal, where traditional healers rely on diverse medicinal plants for treatment.

Method: A systematic review of peer-reviewed and grey literature from 1950 to 2025 (June) regarding the indigenous use of plants in Nepal for snake bites was conducted using databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Science-Direct, as well as grey literature. A total of 115 articles out of 331 were analyzed and reviewed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) model.

Results: This study documents 161 plant species from 67 families, with Fabaceae (12), Asteraceae (9), and Lamiaceae (8) being the most prominent, likely due to their rich bioactive compounds. Herbs (50.3%) dominated the growth forms, followed by trees (19.9%) and shrubs (19.3%), reflecting their accessibility in traditional medicine. Leaves (49 species) were the most frequently used plant part, while roots (42) and whole plants (30) were also significant, indicating targeted therapeutic applications. Remedies were primarily administered topically (58 species) or orally (34), with some plants used as direct antidotes (12 species). Geographically, Chitwan, Parbat, Kanchanpur, and Kaski districts reported the highest plant records.

Conclusion: This study catalogues Nepal's rich tradition of using 161 medicinal plants from 67 families for snakebite treatment yet reveals a striking lack of scientific validation for these remedies. To address this critical gap, rigorous phytochemical and pharmacological investigations are urgently needed to evaluate their therapeutic potential and develop safe, effective treatments that could benefit snakebite victims worldwide.

Keywords: Antidote plants; Antivenom plants; Ethnopharmacology; Snake envenomation