Snake venom toxins: toxicity and medicinal applications

• Published in: Applied microbiology and biotechnology Vol. 100; no. 14; pp. 6165 - 6181
• Main Authors: Chan, Yau Sang, Cheung, Randy Chi Fai, Xia, Lixin, Wong, Jack Ho, Ng, Tzi Bun, Chan, Wai Yee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.07.2016; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Alzheimer's disease; analgesic effect; Analgesics; Analgesics - analysis; Analgesics - pharmacology; Analysis; Animals; Anti-Infective Agents - analysis; Anti-Infective Agents - pharmacology; Anticoagulants - analysis; Anticoagulants - pharmacology; Antineoplastic Agents - analysis; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Cancer; Cardiac function; Clinical Trials as Topic; Cytotoxicity; Enzymatic activity; enzyme activity; Enzymes; Health aspects; Humans; Life Sciences; Lipids; Medical research; Medicine; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Microbiology; Mini-Review; Neurotoxicity; people; Peptides; Peptides - analysis; poisoning; Poisons; Protein Conformation; Proteins; Proteins - analysis; Reptiles & amphibians; Snake bites; Snake venoms; Snake Venoms - chemistry; Snake Venoms - pharmacology; Snakes; Studies; Therapy; Toxicity; Toxins; Venom; venoms; Toxin; Therapeutic; Snake; Venom
• ISSN: 0175-7598; 1432-0614
• DOI: 10.1007/s00253-016-7610-9

Snake venoms are complex mixtures of small molecules and peptides/proteins, and most of them display certain kinds of bioactivities. They include neurotoxic, cytotoxic, cardiotoxic, myotoxic, and many different enzymatic activities. Snake envenomation is a significant health issue as millions of snakebites are reported annually. A large number of people are injured and die due to snake venom poisoning. However, several fatal snake venom toxins have found potential uses as diagnostic tools, therapeutic agent, or drug leads. In this review, different non-enzymatically active snake venom toxins which have potential therapeutic properties such as antitumor, antimicrobial, anticoagulating, and analgesic activities will be discussed.