Documentation of Anti-Snake Venom Plants Used by Rural Communities in Kebbi State, North West Nigeria

Snakebite envenomation represents a neglected tropical disease with high morbidity and mortality in the agricultural communities of North West Nigeria, including Kebbi State, where conventional antivenom is frequently unavailable or unaffordable. Rural farmers and herders rely extensively on plant-based remedies as immediate first-response interventions following snakebite incidents. This study documents the plants used for anti-snake venom applications in Argungu, Yauri, and Bagudo local government areas of Kebbi State. Ethnobotanical surveys were conducted using structured interviews with 40 traditional medicine practitioners, snake handlers, and elderly community members. Plant specimens were identified and deposited at the Herbarium of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. Twenty-one plant species distributed across 14 families were recorded, with Securidaca longepedunculata, Momordica balsamina, and Datura stramonium among the most frequently cited. Root and bark preparations administered orally and topically at the bite site were the prevalent treatment modalities. Several cited species contain compounds with documented phospholipase A2 inhibitory activity, relevant to venom neutralisation. However, plants such as Datura stramonium carry significant toxicity risks. The study recommends controlled pharmacological evaluation of the most frequently cited plants and the integration of snakebite education into community health curricula in Kebbi State. Keywords: snakebite, anti-venom plants, Kebbi State, ethnobotany, Securidaca longepedunculata