[Snake Venom L-Amino Acid Oxidases potential biomedical applications]

L-amino acid oxidases (LAAOs) are flavoenzymes widely found in several organisms, including venoms snakes, where they contribute to the toxicity of ophidian envenomation. Their toxicity is primarily due to enzymatic activity, but other mechanisms have been proposed recently which require further investigation. LAAOs exert biological and pharmacological effects, including actions on platelet aggregation and the induction of apoptosis, hemorrhage and cytotoxicity. These proteins present a high biotechnological potentialfor the development of antimicrobial, antitumor and antiprotozoan agents. This review summarizes the biochemical properties, structural characteristics and various biological functions of snake venoms' LAAO. Furthermore, the putative mechanisms of action, were well detailed.