ACTIVE PRINCIPLES EXTRACTED FROM ANIMAL POISON

Abstract

Active principles extracted from animal venom represent a fascinating area of biomedicine and pharmacology. Various active compounds found in the venoms of snakes, sponges, spiders, and other animals possess unique therapeutic properties. For example, captopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor used to treat hypertension, was developed from a protein found in the venom of the Brazilian pit viper. This study aims to investigate the therapeutic potential of medications derived from animal venom and their applicability. Research also explores venoms from sponges, amphibians, arachnids, among others, which will be addressed in this article. The methodology of this study will consist of a systematic review of the scientific literature. This field of study highlights biodiversity as a crucial resource for the discovery of new medications, revealing the importance of species conservation. The research and development of drugs derived from animal venom have garnered great interest due to the therapeutic potential of these substances. This article discusses the importance of this area, highlighting recent advances and the challenges faced by researchers in this promising field of biomedicine. We conclude that the transformation of poisonous toxins into effective therapies illustrates the ingenuity of nature and the human ability to harness these molecules.