Citation

Ahmadi S, Knerr JM, Argemi L, Bordon KCF, Pucca MB, Cerni FA, Arantes EC, Çalışkan F, Laustsen AH. Biomedicines 2020; 8(5): e118.

Affiliation

Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publications Institute)

DOI

10.3390/biomedicines8050118

PMID

32408604

Abstract

Scorpion venom may cause severe medical complications and untimely death if injected into the human body. Neurotoxins are the main components of scorpion venom that are known to be responsible for the pathological manifestations of envenoming. Besides neurotoxins, a wide range of other bioactive molecules can be found in scorpion venoms. Advances in separation, characterization, and biotechnological approaches have enabled not only the development of more effective treatments against scorpion envenomings, but have also led to the discovery of several scorpion venom peptides with interesting therapeutic properties. Thus, scorpion venom may not only be a medical threat to human health, but could prove to be a valuable source of bioactive molecules that may serve as leads for the development of new therapies against current and emerging diseases. This review presents both the detrimental and beneficial properties of scorpion venom toxins and discusses the newest advances within the development of novel therapies against scorpion envenoming and the therapeutic perspectives for scorpion toxins in drug discovery.

Language: en

Keywords

analgesics; antivenom; bradykinin potentiating peptide; calcins; fungicide; parasiticide; potassium channel toxins; scorpion venom; scorpionism