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Snake Venom Components as Therapeutic Drugs in Ischemic Heart Disease

Authors :
Erij Messadi
Source :
Biomolecules, Vol 13, Iss 10, p 1539 (2023)
Publication Year :
2023
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2023.

Abstract

Ischemic heart disease (IHD), especially myocardial infarction (MI), is a leading cause of death worldwide. Although coronary reperfusion is the most straightforward treatment for limiting the MI size, it has nevertheless been shown to exacerbate ischemic myocardial injury. Therefore, identifying and developing therapeutic strategies to treat IHD is a major medical challenge. Snake venoms contain biologically active proteins and peptides that are of major interest for pharmacological applications in the cardiovascular system (CVS). This has led to their use for the development and design of new drugs, such as the first-in-class angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril, developed from a peptide present in Bothrops jararaca snake venom. This review discusses the potential usefulness of snake venom toxins for developing effective treatments against IHD and related diseases such as hypertension and atherosclerosis. It describes their biological effects at the molecular scale, their mechanisms of action according to their different pharmacological properties, as well as their subsequent molecular pathways and therapeutic targets. The molecules reported here have either been approved for human medical use and are currently available on the drug market or are still in the clinical or preclinical developmental stages. The information summarized here may be useful in providing insights into the development of future snake venom-derived drugs.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2218273X
Volume :
13
Issue :
10
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Biomolecules
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.1052a1e006f34cd0ad29461d9705b053
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13101539