Pharmacological Activity of Scorpion Venom: Updating and Application

Abstract

The study of biomolecules from the components of animals include proteins, enzymes, carbohydrates, peptides, nucleic acids, DNA and RNA have become a hot spot in recent years. Among the venomous animals, venom from scorpions exhibits broad pharmaceutical activities with varieties of targets. Therefore, scorpion venom becomes important and useful for the development of medical and pharmaceutical uses. Recently, drugs based on animal venoms are currently being developed and accepted by the US Food and Drug Administration, such as Captopril (modified teropride from Bothrops jararaca) for the treatment of high blood pressure. Many studies reported that the isolated peptides from scorpion venom showed a variety of bioactivities such as antibacterial, antifungal, antivirus, anti-parasite, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulation. Therefore, peptides from scorpion venom become a new promising for development of many drugs in the future. The research evidence of pharmaceutical activities of scorpion venom, including its mechanisms have been reviewed and updated for further development to a new drug in the future.