Venoms classification and therapeutic uses: a narrative review

M.A. Morsy, S. Gupta, C.P. Dora, V. Jhawat, M. Dhanawat, D. Mehta, K. Gupta, A.B. Nair, M. El-Daly

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Clinical Pharmacy, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. momorsy@kfu.edu.sa

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• Pharmacology
• Toxicology

The mere glimpse of venomous animals has always terrified humans because of the devastating effects of their venoms. However, researchers across the globe have isolated therapeutically active ingredients from these venoms and continue to explore them for drug leads. These efforts lead to the discovery of therapeutic molecules that the US-FDA has approved to treat different diseases, such as hypertension (Captopril), chronic pain (Ziconotide), and diabetes (Exenatide).

The main active constituents of most venoms are proteins and peptides, which gained more attention because of advancements in biotechnology and drug delivery. The utilization of newer screening approaches improved our understanding of the pharmacological complexity of venom constituents and facilitated the development of novel therapeutics. Currently, with many venom-derived peptides undergoing different phases of clinical trials, more are in pre-clinical drug development phases. This review highlights the various sources of venoms, their pharmacological actions, and the current developments in venom-based therapeutics.

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