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Updated: Feb 1, 2026

Development of New Therapeutic Applications Using Microfluidics
Published on: October 1, 2007
Animal protein toxins: origins and therapeutic applications
Na Chen1, Siqi Xu1, Yuhan Zhang1
1Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Drugs, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China.
Abstract:
Venomous animals on the earth have been found to be valuable resources for the development of therapeutics. Enzymatic and non-enzymatic proteins and peptides are the major components of animal venoms, many of which can target various ion channels, receptors, and membrane transporters. Compared to traditional small molecule drugs, natural proteins and peptides exhibit higher specificity and potency to their targets. In this review, we summarize the varieties and characteristics of toxins from a few representative venomous animals, and describe the components and applications of animal toxins as potential drug candidates in the treatment of human diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, neuropathic pain, as well as autoimmune diseases. In the meantime, there are many obstacles to translate new toxin discovery to their clinical applications. The challenges, strategies, and perspectives in the development of the protein toxin-based drugs are discussed as well.
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