| 3FTX (neurotoxin) |
Selective inhibition of nAChRs at neuromuscular junction and interfere with nerve transmission. |
Tool to decipher structural and functional details of nAChRs. α-cobratoxin is under clinical trial for drug-resistant HIV strains, treatment of multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, myasthenia gravis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. |
[31] |
| 3FTX (cardiotoxin) |
Membrane perturbation by electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions with the cell membranes. |
Under scientific investigation for cancer inhibitory studies and potential use as anti-microbial agent. |
[32,33] |
| Disintegrin |
Selectively bind to integrin receptors present at the surface of platelet and other cells. |
Tirofiban and Eptifibatide are under clinical use as antithrombotic agents. These compounds were developed from the snake venom disintegrns echistatin and barbourin. Contortrostatin is in preclinical studies for the inhibition of platelet aggregation and prostate cancer. |
[34,35,36,37,38] |
| Kunitz-type inhibitor |
Inhibition of serine proteases (e.g., plasmin, kallikrein, trypsin). Interferes with the blood coagulation cascade and fibrinolysis. |
A plasmin inhibitor Textilinin-1 is in preclinical studies as antibleeding agent. |
[39,40] |
| Natriuretic peptide |
Interaction of Nps with guanylyl cyclase receptors leads to an increase of cylic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), and affects subsequent signalling cascade. Nps can interfere the renin-angiotensin system by inhibiting the angiotensin converting enzyme. |
These peptides serve as tool to understand NP biology. Cenderitide was under clinic studies for cardiovascular disease. However, its clinical development was terminated by Capiricor (US pharmaceutical company) in 2017. |
[41,42,43] |
| BPPs |
Inhibit the function of angiotensin converting enzyme, and raise the level of bradykinin. |
Captopril and its analogue are under clinical use for the treatment of hypotension. These compounds were developed from the snake venom BPP. |
[44] |
| Crotamine |
Interacts electrostatically with DNA. Penetrates membranes via heparan sulphate proteoglycans binding. |
Carrier for biomolecules, tool for cancer studies. |
[45] |
| Sarafotoxin |
Vasoconstriction via endothelin receptors. |
Molecular probe to better understand endothelial system and related diseases. |
[46] |
| Waglerin |
nAChR antagonist. |
Anti-wrinkle cosmetic cream SYN-AKE is available in the market. The active ingredient of this cream is a peptide mimic, which was designed using waglerin as a template. |
[47] |
