A Facebook post claims that chewing the bark of the cashew tree will “destroy snake venom”, including the highly toxic bite from a black mamba.
The viral post claims that there are many snakes with a very poisonous venom that kills within some hours.
If you are a victim of snake bites or poison, just look for a cashew tree, use your cutlass to get the bark of the cashew tree, and chew the bark of the tree. As you chew, swallow the water, don’t swallow the chaff. It will neutralize every poisonous substance from the snake even if it’s an Anaconda bite.
Very effective and powerful to destroy snake venoms, they added.
The post advices to keep the bark for any emergency, even if it’s a dry one, just soak it in water. it doesn’t spoil, it can be kept for years. God has blessed us with so many herbs but many don’t know it.
Source: Facebook
As per a data by World Health Organisation, as many as 2.7 million people are envenomed each year. Of these people, between 81 000 and 138 000 subsequently die. Of the survivors, up to 400 000 are left with a permanent disability.
Source: WHO
FACTO CHECK
A 2009 study which was performed on mice says that the extract neutralized the viper venom hydrolytic enzymes such as phospholipase, protease, and hyaluronidase in a dose dependent manner.
These enzymes are responsible for both local effects of envenomation such as local tissue damage, inflammation and myonecrosis, and systemic effects including dysfunction of vital organs and alteration in the coagulation components.
The study found also mentions that the extract prevented bleeding, swelling and muscle trauma at the site of the snake bite. The venom was still lethal, but it took longer for the mice who received the extract to die.
By this we can say that cashew bark could be used as a first aid in order to control the situation. Rushing to hospital is still said to be the best option available.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also advised and warned that in the event of a snake bite, traditional and herbal treatments should be avoided. “Antivenoms remain the only specific treatment that can potentially prevent or reverse most of the effects of snakebite envenoming when administered early in an adequate therapeutic dose.”
Black mamba has more than 10 species itself. The venom also ranges from highly to low complication. Most venoms cause paralyses within no time. That’s why we cannot compromise with herbal remedy.
According to ASI, anti-venoms takes really long because each and every antidote goes through multiple clinical trials. This makes its development expensive and accounts for the “reason we only have antivenom for those snakes that have caused fatalities in the past”.
Conclusion
Though, the cashew bark elicits some benefits but it is still not clinically proved to be the best treatment for snake bite.
Rush to a hospital nearby in case of an event of snake bite. Don’t believe on what the facebook University taught you online.
