title: Cardiovascular-Active Venom Toxins: An Overview.
abstract: Animal venoms are a mixture of bioactive compounds produced as weapons and used primarily to immobilize and kill preys. As a result of the high potency and specificity for various physiological targets, many toxins from animal venoms have emerged as possible drugs for the medication of diverse disorders, including cardiovascular diseases. Captopril, which inhibits the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), was the first successful venom-based drug and a notable example of rational drug design. Since captopril was developed, many studies have discovered novel bradykinin-potentiating peptides (BPPs) with actions on the cardiovascular system. Natriuretic peptides (NPs) have also been found in animal venoms and used as template to design new drugs with applications in cardiovascular diseases. Among the anti-arrhythmic peptides, GsMTx-4 was discovered to be a toxin that selectively inhibits the stretch-activated cation channels (SACs), which are involved in atrial fibrillation. The present review describes the main components isolated from animal venoms that act on the cardiovascular system and presents a brief summary of venomous animals and their venom apparatuses.
authors.forename: Carolina Campolina
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Rebello Horta
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chatzaki
authors.forename: Bruno Almeida
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Rezende
authors.forename: Bárbara de Freitas
authors.initials: Bde F
authors.lastname: Magalhães
authors.forename: Clara Guerra
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: Liza Figueiredo
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Felicori
authors.forename: Bárbara Bruna
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Ribeiro Oliveira-Mendes
authors.forename: Anderson Oliveira
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: do Carmo
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chávez-Olórtegui
authors.affiliation: Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, CEP 31270-901, Brazil. ekalapo@icb.ufmg.br.
authors.forename: Evanguedes
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kalapothakis
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001920:Bradykinin / Q000378:metabolism; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects; D014688:Venoms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D010455:Peptides; D014688:Venoms; D001920:Bradykinin