The chemistry of snake venom and its medicinal potential

• Type: Another Publication in an International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2022

Authors

Oliveira, AL (Author) Other; Viegas, MF (Author) Other; da Silva, SL (Author) Other; Soares, AM (Author) Other; Ramos, MJ (Author) FCUP; Pedro A Fernandes (Author) FCUP

Journal

The Journal is awaiting validation by the Administrative Services.

Title: NATURE REVIEWS CHEMISTRY

Vol. 61

Pages: 451-469

Publisher: NATURE PORTFOLIO

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 8 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00W-SFN

DOI: 10.1038/s41570-022-00393-7

Abstract (EN): The fascination and fear of snakes dates back to time immemorial, with the first scientific treatise on snakebite envenoming, the Brooklyn Medical Papyrus, dating from ancient Egypt. Owing to their lethality, snakes have often been associated with images of perfidy, treachery and death. However, snakes did not always have such negative connotations. The curative capacity of venom has been known since antiquity, also making the snake a symbol of pharmacy and medicine. Today, there is renewed interest in pursuing snake-venom-based therapies. This Review focuses on the chemistry of snake venom and the potential for venom to be exploited for medicinal purposes in the development of drugs. The mixture of toxins that constitute snake venom is examined, focusing on the molecular structure, chemical reactivity and target recognition of the most bioactive toxins, from which bioactive drugs might be developed. The design and working mechanisms of snake-venom-derived drugs are illustrated, and the strategies by which toxins are transformed into therapeutics are analysed. Finally, the challenges in realizing the immense curative potential of snake venom are discussed, and chemical strategies by which a plethora of new drugs could be derived from snake venom are proposed.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 19