Table 1.
Cnidarian venom composition.
| Toxin type | Found in class | Function | MW (kDa) | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enzymes | ||||
| Phospholipase A2 | Anthozoa, Cubozoa, Schyphozoa, Hydrozoa | Cytolytic, hemolytic, prey digestion | 13–45 | [44,45,46] |
| Metalloproteases | Schyphozoa, Cubozoa, Anthozoa | Cytotoxic, cytolytic, local tissue damage | 17–130 | [12,14,47,48] |
| Pore forming toxins (cytolysins) | ||||
| Actinoporins and actinoporin-like proteins | Anthozoa, Hydrozoa | Cytolytic, hemolytic, cardiovascular and respiratory arrest | 20 | [49,50,51,52,53,54] |
| Jellyfish Toxins | Cubozoa | Hemolytic, cardiotoxic, cytolytic, myotoxic, cutaneous inflammation | 42–46 | [13,55,56,57] |
| Hydralysins-related toxins | Hydrozoa, Anthozoa | Cytolytic, prey digestion | 27–31 | [43,58,59,60] |
| Membrane Attack Complex-Perforin | Anthozoa | Cytolytic, hemolytic | 60 | [61,62] |
| Neurotoxins | ||||
| NaTxs (type I-III) | Anthozoa | Neurotoxic, cardiotoxic, insecticide | 3–8 | [63,64,65,66,67] |
| KTxs (type I,III and IV,V KTxs) | Anthozoa | Neurotoxic, hypotensive, cardiotoxic, analgesic, antimicrobial, immunosuppressive, anti obesity | 3–4 | [68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75] |
| Kunitz peptides (type II KTxs) | Anthozoa | Paralytic, serine protease inhibitor | 6 | [76,77,78,79] |
| Small Cysteine-Rich Proteins (SCRiPs) and SCRiPs homologues | Anthozoa | Paralytic | 4.3–5.8 | [80] |
| ASIC Inhibitors | Anthozoa | Analgesic | 3 | [81,82] |
| TRPV1 Inhibitors | Anthozoa | Analgesic | 3 | [83,84] |
| Non-protein bioactive components | ||||
| Serotonin | Hydrozoa, Anthozoa | Vasodilation, sharp pain | - | [85] |
| Histamine | Anthozoa | Vasodilation, sharp pain | - | [86,87] |
| Bunodosine | Anthozoa | Analgesic | - | [88] |
| Caissarone | Anthozoa | Adenosine receptor antagonist | - | [89] |