Jakarta, CNNIndonesia —
A video has been circulating on social media who mention red onions can be used to treat poison rattlesnake. Is that right?
In an upload on social media, a speaker said that if you are bitten by a venomous snake, you can overcome it by using red onion which is rubbed on the point of the bite.
“Run to the nearest house, look for red onions, you don’t need to peel them, just chew them until they’re soft and stick them to the bitten part,” said a woman in the video.
He claimed that the concoction was an antidote from the Dayak tribe, South Kalimantan, and had been tried on people who were bitten by cobras. Five minutes after it was applied, he claims the wound healed instantly.
Is that true?
A Education titled ‘Onion (Allium cepa) and its Main Constituents as Antidotes or Protective Agents against Natural or Chemical Toxicities: A Comprehensive Review’ reveals the chemical compounds of shallots (Allium cepa) which have many benefits.
Namely, allicin, quercetin, fisetin, other sulfur compounds such as diallyl disulfide and diallyl trisulfide.
Three study authors from AJA University of Medical Sciences and Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran, said that the main component of shallots in certain doses provides many benefits.
For example, free radical scavenging and antioxidant properties, anticholesterolemic, heavy metal toxicity, antihyperuricemia, antimicrobial, anti-gastric ulcer, and anticancer.
In addition, they revealed that onions have an effect on the venom of the Pakistani cobra (Naja naja karachiensis).
Researchers say that this snake venom can cause many complications such as hypotension (low blood pressure), edema (swelling of body tissues due to fluid accumulation), pain, paralysis, necrosis (cell injury that triggers the premature death of these cells).
In addition, there are effects of a heart attack, mucous discharge, bleeding gums, bleeding wounds, hematuria (blood in the urine), and coagulopathy (blood clotting disorder), cardiac, liver, kidney, and acute musculoskeletal toxicity (affects muscles, nerves, ligaments). .
“One of the many effects seen after poisoning with this snake is hemolysis (breakdown of red blood cells and release of hemoglobin into the plasma). The venom of this snake appears to disrupt the membrane of human red blood cells (HRBC),” the researchers wrote.
This effect may be triggered by various enzymes, namely phospholipase A2 (PLA2), protease enzymes, and some 5′-nucleotidases.
“The bulbs of A. cepa (shallots) were found to be useful for neutralizing snake venom hemolysis,” said the researcher.
How could that be?
Shallots, they said, were able to inhibit 76 percent of the PLA enzyme and neutralize the hydrolytic activity of PLA2 at a rate of 50 percent at all concentrations. “However failed to inhibit 5′-nucleotidase activity.”
“Onions are able to normalize the increase in CK-MB levels due to karachiensis venom. This onion effect may be due to the stabilization of the HRBC membrane,” said the researcher.
CK-MB stands for Creatinine Kinase – Myocardial Band which is a laboratory examination technique to detect heart muscle damage.
First aid
Apart from the results of studies that only mention one type of snake, the most important thing in snakebite cases is proper first aid.
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals some things to do and don’t do if bitten by a snake.
What to do after being bitten by a snake:
1. Seek medical attention as soon as possible, contact the local emergency or medical telephone number.
- Antivenom is a treatment for serious snake venom. The sooner the antivenom can be started, the sooner the irreversible damage from the poison can be stopped.
- It is not recommended to drive yourself to the hospital because snake bite victims can get dizzy or faint.
2. Take photos of the snake from a safe distance if possible. Identifying snakes can help with treatment.
3. Keep calm.
4. Apply first aid while waiting for medical help:
- Lie down or sit with the bite point in a comfortable, neutral position.
- Remove rings and watches before swelling appears.
- Wash the bite with soap and water.
- Cover the bite wound with a clean, dry bandage.
- Mark the leading part of the pain/swelling on the skin and write the time next to it.
What NOT to do after being bitten by a snake:
1. Do not catch snakes or try to trap them, do not handle venomous snakes, even if they are dead or just the head.
2. Don’t wait for symptoms to appear if bitten, seek medical attention immediately.
3. Do not use a tourniquet (a binder to stop bleeding).
4. Do not cut the wound with a knife or anything else.
5. Don’t try to suck out the poison.
6. Do not use ice or immerse the wound in water.
7. Do not take alcohol as a painkiller.
8. Do not take pain relievers (such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen).
9. Do not use electric shocks or traditional therapy.
(can/lth)
