Table 2.

Overview of novel therapeutic candidates for inhibition of tissue-damaging compounds in snake venoms

Toxin class	Therapeutic candidate	Examples	References
Major toxin classes
Cytotoxic 3FTxs	Aptamers	Aptamers developed against α-bungarotoxin*	181,182
	Synthetic peptides	Peptide inhibitors against α-cobratoxin*	183
	Nanoparticles	Nontoxic hydrogel copolymer nanoparticles	184
	Mimotopes (i.e., decoy receptors)	Recombinant nAChR mimics	185,186,200,201
Cytotoxic PLA2s	Nanoparticles	Nontoxic hydrogel copolymer nanoparticles	184,202
	Polyanions	Suramin; Heparin	203–207
	Animal-derived compounds	PLA2 inhibitors from mammals and snakes	190,192,194,208
	Plant-derived compounds	Alkaloids (e.g., aristolochic acid); rosmarinic acid	196–199,209–213
	Small molecule inhibitors	LY315920 Varespladib; LY333013 methyl Varespladib	161,164–167
SVMPs	Nanoparticles	Synthetic polymer nanoparticles	188,214
	Animal-derived compounds	SVMP inhibitors isolated from mammals and snakes	191,215,216
	Plant-derived compounds	Flavonoids	197,217,218
	Small molecule inhibitors	Marimastat, batimastat, prinomastat	167,171,172,174
		Dimercaprol; DMPS; EDTA	167,172,174
Minor toxin classes
Hyaluronidases	Plant-derived compounds	Alkaloids (e.g., aristolochic acid); flavonoids (e.g., quercetin);	91,93,177,189,219
	Polyanions	Heparin	91,93,220
β-defensins-like toxins	Currently none	-	-

^*Inhibitors that were originally designed for neurotoxic 3FTxs but have also the potential to be used for inhibition of cytotoxic 3FTxs.