APPLICATION OF SNAKE VENOM PEPTIDES IN MODERN MEDICINE AND PHARMACOLOGY

Abstract

Although snake venom is evolutionarily a lethal weapon, its bioactive peptides and proteins possess the ability to act with high selectivity on specific molecular targets (receptors, ion channels, enzymes). This scientific review analyzes the complex of peptides derived from snake venom and their role in the therapy of cardiovascular diseases, thrombosis, severe pain syndromes, and oncological diseases. Clinical data from recent years within the PubMed and ScienceDirect databases were systematized. The results indicate that while drugs like Captopril, Tirofiban, and Eptifibatide have revolutionized the pharmaceutical market, next-generation anticancer toxin-peptides (e.g., disintegrins) are currently being synthesized using biotechnology and artificial intelligence (AI).