- Snake Venoms in Drug Discovery: Valuable Therapeutic Tools for Life Saving
- Animal venoms are used as defense mechanisms or to immobilize and digest prey.
In fact, venoms are complex mixtures of enzymatic and non-enzymatic components with specific
pathophysiological functions. Peptide toxins isolated from animal venoms target mainly ion channels,
membrane receptors and components of the hemostatic system with high selectivity and affinity.
- Structural and Functional Characterization of a Novel Scorpion Toxin that Inhibits NaV1.8 via Interactions With the DI Voltage Sensor and DII Pore Module
- Voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.8 regulates transmission of pain signals to the brain.
While NaV1.8 has the potential to serve as a drug target, the molecular mechanisms that
shape NaV1.8 gating are not completely understood, particularly mechanisms that couple
activation to inactivation. Interactions between toxin producing animals and their predators
provide a novel approach for investigating NaV structure-function relationships. Arizona
bark scorpions produce Na+ channel toxins that initiate pain signaling.
- Advances in venomics: Modern separation techniques and mass spectrometry
- Snake venoms are complex chemical mixtures of biologically active proteins and non-protein components.
Toxins have a wide range of targets and effects to include ion channels and membrane receptors, and platelet
aggregation and platelet plug formation. Toxins target these effectors and effects at high affinity and selectivity.
From a pharmacological perspective, snake venom compounds are a valuable resource for drug discovery and
development.
