Anticancer and antimicrobial activities of scorpion venoms and their peptides

Abstract

Scorpion venom is a natural biological resource that contains several components, which are not only responsible for death but also have a potential therapeutic activity. Scorpion venom has been used as traditional and folk therapy in various pathophysiological conditions. Now, many scorpion venom components have been purified and identified. Based on the available structural and functional information of these components, the scientists can produce new venom-derived medications with potential therapeutic activity against many important diseases. This review focused on the importance of scorpion venoms and their peptides against cancer and microbes.

Keywords:

• Scorpion venom
• scorpion peptides
• antineoplastic agents
• antibacterial agents
• antifungal agents
• antiviral agents

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.