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Toxins Apr 2023Infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR-Ab) have become a public health emergency. Due to the small therapeutic arsenal available to treat these infections,... (Review)
Review
Infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR-Ab) have become a public health emergency. Due to the small therapeutic arsenal available to treat these infections, health agencies have highlighted the importance of developing new antimicrobials against MDR-Ab. In this context, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) stand out, and animal venoms are a rich source of these compounds. Here, we aimed to summarize the current knowledge on the use of animal venom-derived AMPs in the treatment of MDR-Ab infections in vivo. A systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The eight studies included in this review identified the antibacterial activity of eleven different AMPs against MDR-Ab. Most of the studied AMPs originated from arthropod venoms. In addition, all AMPs are positively charged and rich in lysine residues. In vivo assays showed that the use of these compounds reduces MDR-Ab-induced lethality and bacterial load in invasive (bacteremia and pneumonia) and superficial (wounds) infection models. Moreover, animal venom-derived AMPs have pleiotropic effects, such as pro-healing, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities, that help treat infections. Animal venom-derived AMPs are a potential source of prototype molecules for the development of new therapeutic agents against MDR-Ab.
Topics: Animals; Acinetobacter baumannii; Antimicrobial Peptides; Acinetobacter Infections; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Arthropod Venoms; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Microbial Sensitivity Tests
PubMed: 37104206
DOI: 10.3390/toxins15040268 -
Archives of Virology Sep 2022Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses), such as Zika virus (ZIKV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), dengue virus (DENV), yellow fever virus (YFV), and West Nile virus (WNV),... (Review)
Review
Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses), such as Zika virus (ZIKV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), dengue virus (DENV), yellow fever virus (YFV), and West Nile virus (WNV), are pathogens of global importance. Therefore, there has been an increasing need for new drugs for the treatment of these viral infections. In this context, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) obtained from animal venoms stand out as promising compounds because they exhibit strong antiviral activity against emerging arboviral pathogens. Thus, we systematically searched and critically analyzed in vitro and in vivo studies that evaluated the anti-arbovirus effect of peptide derivatives from toxins produced by vertebrates and invertebrates. Thirteen studies that evaluated the antiviral action of 10 peptides against arboviruses were included in this review. The peptides were derived from the venom of scorpions, spiders, wasps, snakes, sea snails, and frogs and were tested against DENV, ZIKV, YFV, WNV, and CHIKV. Despite the high structural variety of the peptides included in this study, their antiviral activity appears to be associated with the presence of positive charges, an excess of basic amino acids (mainly lysine), and a high isoelectric point (above 8). These peptides use different antiviral mechanisms, the most common of which is the inhibition of viral replication, release, entry, or fusion. Moreover, peptides with virucidal and cytoprotective (pre-treatment) effects were also identified. In conclusion, animal-venom-derived peptides stand out as a promising alternative in the search and development of prototype antivirals against arboviruses.
Topics: Animals; Antiviral Agents; Arboviruses; Chikungunya Fever; Chikungunya virus; Dengue; Peptides; Venoms; West Nile virus; Yellow fever virus; Zika Virus; Zika Virus Infection
PubMed: 35723756
DOI: 10.1007/s00705-022-05494-8 -
Toxins Mar 2022Bee venom acupuncture (BVA) is an effective treatment method for various diseases. Bee venom, however, can cause adverse effects, even rarely including life-threatening... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Bee venom acupuncture (BVA) is an effective treatment method for various diseases. Bee venom, however, can cause adverse effects, even rarely including life-threatening anaphylaxis, so safety-related evidence is required. In this study, we systematically estimated the incidence rate of anaphylaxis in response to BVA.
METHODS
We searched eight databases (MEDLINE (Pubmed), EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled, KISS, KMBASE, Koreamed, OASIS, and NDSL) and systematically reviewed the articles that met the inclusion/exclusion criteria.
RESULTS
Among 225 potentially relevant articles, 49 were selected for this study. The overall incidence rate of anaphylaxis in response to BVA was 0.045% (95% CI 0.028-0.062). Women (0.083%, 95% CI 0.010-0.157) showed a higher incidence rate than men (0.019%, 95% CI -0.018 to 0.055), while the incidence for patients who had a skin test conducted (0.041%, 95% CI 0.011-0.072) was not significantly different compared to that obtained for patients for which there was no information about a skin test (0.047%, 95% CI 0.026-0.067). The publication year affected the incidence rate: it was highest before 1999 (1.099%, 95% CI -1.043 to 3.241), lower between 2000 and 2009 (0.049%, 95% CI 0.025-0.073), and lowest between 2010 and 2021 (0.037% 95% CI 0.014-0.060).
CONCLUSIONS
In this study, we provide reference data about risk size and factors of BVA-related anaphylaxis, which is essentially required for BVA application in clinics.
Topics: Acupuncture Therapy; Anaphylaxis; Bee Venoms; Female; Humans; Incidence; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 35448847
DOI: 10.3390/toxins14040238 -
The Journal of Venomous Animals and... 2021Peptides obtained from different animal species have gained importance recently due to research that aims to develop biopharmaceuticals with therapeutic potential. In... (Review)
Review
Peptides obtained from different animal species have gained importance recently due to research that aims to develop biopharmaceuticals with therapeutic potential. In this sense, arthropod venoms have drawn attention, not only because of their toxicity but mainly for the search for molecules with various bioactivities, including anti-inflammatory activity. The purpose of the present study is to gather data available in the literature on new peptides derived from arthropod species with anti-inflammatory potential. This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies on peptides from arthropods that display anti-inflammatory activity were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. The bibliographic research started in 2020 and searched papers without a limit on the publication date. The articles were analyzed using a search string containing the following terms: "Peptides" and "Anti-inflammatory", in combinations such as "Ant", "Bee", "Wasp", "Crab", "Shrimp", "Scorpion", "Spider", "Tick" and "Centipedes". Besides, a search was carried out in the databases with the terms: "Peptides", "Antitumor", or "Anticancer", and "Arthropods". Articles that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria totalized 171, and these served for data extraction. Additionally, the present review included anti-inflammatory peptides with anticancer properties. Peptides with confirmed anti-inflammatory activity were from insects (ants, bees, and wasps), crustaceans (shrimp and crabs), arachnids (scorpions, spiders, and ticks), and centipedes. These arthropod peptides act mainly by decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokines as analyzed and . Some showed significant antineoplastic activity, working in essential cellular pathways against malignant neoplasms.
PubMed: 34795699
DOI: 10.1590/1678-9199-JVATITD-2020-0152 -
Journal of Investigational Allergology... Jul 2022Fatal anaphylaxis is very rare, with an incidence ranging from 0.5 to 1 deaths per million person-years.
BACKGROUND
Fatal anaphylaxis is very rare, with an incidence ranging from 0.5 to 1 deaths per million person-years.
OBJECTIVE
Based on a systematic review, we aimed to explain differences in the reported incidence of fatal anaphylaxis based on the methodological and demographic factors addressed in the various studies.
METHODS
We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Web of Science for relevant retrospective and prospective cohort studies and registry studies that had assessed the anaphylaxis mortality rate for the population of a country or for an administrative region. The research strategy was based on combining the term "anaphylaxis" with "death", "study design", and "main outcomes" (incidence).
RESULTS
A total of 46 studies met the study criteria and included 16,541 deaths. The range of the anaphylaxis mortality rate for all causes of anaphylaxis was 0.002-2.51 deaths per million person-years. Fatal anaphylaxis due to food (range 0.002-0.29) was rarer than deaths due to drugs (range 0.004-0.56) or Hymenoptera venom (range 0.02-0.61). The frequency of deaths due to anaphylaxis by drugs increased during the study period (IRR per year, 1.02; 95%CI, 1.00-1.04). We detected considerable heterogeneity in almost all of the meta-analyses carried out.
CONCLUSION
The incidence of fatal anaphylaxis is very low and differs according to the various subgroups analyzed. The studies were very heterogeneous. Fatal anaphylaxis due to food seems to be less common than fatal anaphylaxis due to drugs or Hymenoptera venom.
Topics: Allergens; Anaphylaxis; Arthropod Venoms; Humans; Incidence; Prospective Studies; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 33856349
DOI: 10.18176/jiaci.0693 -
Toxins Sep 2020Bee venom is a complex natural mixture with various pharmaceutical properties. Among these properties, its peptides and enzymes have potential medical therapy for pain...
Bee venom is a complex natural mixture with various pharmaceutical properties. Among these properties, its peptides and enzymes have potential medical therapy for pain relief and inflammation. In clinical settings, this therapy has been used widely to treat diseases by injecting into acupoints. In this article, we have conducted various research from PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Clinical Key from inception of July 2020. The results revealed that bee venom therapy has been reported effective in anti-inflammatory, antiapoptosis, and analgesic effects. Moreover, bee venom acupuncture has been commonly used for clinical disorders such as Parkinson disease, neuropathic pain, Alzheimer disease, intervertebral disc disease, spinal cord injury, musculoskeletal pain, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, skin disease and cancer.
Topics: Acupuncture Points; Acupuncture Therapy; Animals; Bee Venoms; Disease Models, Animal; Humans; Injections; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 32992601
DOI: 10.3390/toxins12100618 -
Toxins Aug 2020Bee venom has been used to treat many diseases because of its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. However, the secretions of bee venom can also cause... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Bee venom has been used to treat many diseases because of its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. However, the secretions of bee venom can also cause life-threatening adverse reactions. The objective of this paper was to review the clinical effectiveness of bee venom and adverse events induced by bee venom, regardless of the disease. Four electronic databases were searched in April 2020. The reference lists of the retrieved articles and previous review articles were also hand-searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using any type of bee venom other than live bee stings for the clinical treatment of any disease other than cancer were included. The studies were selected, the data were extracted, and the quality of the studies was assessed by two authors. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias standards. Twelve RCTs were included in this review-three on Parkinson's disease, four on arthralgia, four on musculoskeletal disorders, and one on polycystic ovary syndrome. The types of bee venom used were acupuncture injections, ultrasound gel, and an ointment. Six studies reported adverse events, and skin reactions such as pruritus and swelling were the most common. The large-scale clinical trials of bee venom therapy are needed to verify the statistical difference, and the reporting system for adverse events is also required to increase the safety of bee venom therapy.
Topics: Acupuncture Points; Acupuncture Therapy; Administration, Cutaneous; Adult; Bee Venoms; Female; Gels; Humans; Injections; Male; Middle Aged; Ointments; Phonophoresis; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult
PubMed: 32872552
DOI: 10.3390/toxins12090558 -
Toxins Apr 2020Centipedes are among the oldest venomous arthropods that use their venom to subdue the prey. The major components of centipede venom are a variety of...
Centipedes are among the oldest venomous arthropods that use their venom to subdue the prey. The major components of centipede venom are a variety of low-molecular-weight peptide toxins that have evolved to target voltage-gated ion channels to interfere with the central system of prey and produce pain or paralysis for efficient hunting. Peptide toxins usually contain several intramolecular disulfide bonds, which confer chemical, thermal and biological stability. In addition, centipede peptides generally have novel structures and high potency and specificity and therefore hold great promise both as diagnostic tools and in the treatment of human disease. Here, we review the centipede peptide toxins with reported effects on ion channels, including Nav, Kv, Cav and the nonselective cation channel polymodal transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1).
Topics: Animals; Arthropod Proteins; Arthropod Venoms; Bites and Stings; Chilopoda; Drug Discovery; Humans; Ion Channels; Membrane Transport Modulators; Protein Conformation; Signal Transduction; Structure-Activity Relationship
PubMed: 32260499
DOI: 10.3390/toxins12040230 -
Allergy Feb 2018The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) is developing guidelines for allergen immunotherapy (AIT) for the management of allergic rhinitis,...
BACKGROUND
The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) is developing guidelines for allergen immunotherapy (AIT) for the management of allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, IgE-mediated food allergy and venom allergy. To inform the development of clinical recommendations, we undertook systematic reviews to critically assess evidence on the effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness of AIT for these conditions. This study focusses on synthesizing data and gaps in the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of AIT for these conditions.
METHODS
We produced summaries of evidence in each domain, and then, synthesized findings on health economic data identified from four recent systematic reviews on allergic rhinitis, asthma, food allergy and venom allergy, respectively. The quality of these studies was independently assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool for health economic evaluations.
RESULTS
Twenty-three studies satisfied our inclusion criteria. Of these, 19 studies investigated the cost-effectiveness of AIT in allergic rhinitis, of which seven were based on data from randomized controlled trials with economic evaluations conducted from a health system perspective. This body of evidence suggested that sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) and subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) would be considered cost-effective using the (English) National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) cost-effectiveness threshold of £20 000/quality-adjusted life year (QALY). However, the quality of the studies and the general lack of attention to characterizing uncertainty and handling missing data should be taken into account when interpreting these results. For asthma, there were three eligible studies, all of which had significant methodological limitations; these suggested that SLIT, when used in patients with both asthma and allergic rhinitis, may be cost-effective with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of £10 726 per QALY. We found one economic modelling study for venom allergy which, despite being based largely on expert opinion and plausible assumptions, suggested that AIT for bee and wasp venom allergy is only likely to be cost-effective for very high-risk groups who may be exposed to multiple exposures to venom/year (eg bee keepers). We found no eligible studies investigating the cost-effectiveness of AIT for food allergy.
CONCLUSIONS
Overall, the evidence to support the cost-effectiveness of AIT is limited and of low methodological quality, but suggests that AIT may be cost-effective for people with allergic rhinitis with or without asthma and in high-risk subgroups for venom allergy. We were unable to draw any conclusions on the cost-effectiveness of AIT for food allergy.
Topics: Arthropod Venoms; Asthma; Bee Venoms; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Desensitization, Immunologic; Food Hypersensitivity; Humans; Hypersensitivity, Immediate; Rhinitis, Allergic; Wasp Venoms
PubMed: 28718981
DOI: 10.1111/all.13254 -
Systematic Reviews Apr 2017Scorpion stings cause an estimated 3000 deaths per annum worldwide. We conducted a systematic review of all controlled clinical trials related to scorpion sting... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Scorpion stings cause an estimated 3000 deaths per annum worldwide. We conducted a systematic review of all controlled clinical trials related to scorpion sting management.
METHODS
We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science and CINAHL and included controlled prospective clinical trials (randomized or non-randomized). The following interventions were assessed: adults and children with scorpion stings treated with (a) steroids vs. placebo, (b) different methods of pain relief, (c) antivenom vs. supportive treatment, (d) prazosin vs. supportive treatment, (e) antivenom vs. prazosin and (f) antivenom plus prazosin vs. prazosin alone. When trials had comparative outcomes, they were combined in a meta-analysis. Data was analysed with Review Manager 5. Dichotomous data were compared with relative risk (RR), and continuous data were compared with mean differences using a fixed effect model. There is no PROSPERO registration number for this study.
RESULTS
Antivenom against Centruroides sp. are effective in reversing the clinical syndrome faster than no antivenom treatment in children (RR, 0.02; 95% CI, 0.01 to 0.06; 322 participants; three trials). Antivenom (against Mesobuthus tamulus) and prazosin combination is better than prazosin alone for faster resolution of symptoms (mean difference, -12.59 h; 95% CI, -14.01 to -11.17; 173 participants; three trials).
CONCLUSIONS
The polyvalent antivenom against Centruroides sp. in USA/Mexico and the monovalent antivenom against M. tamulus in India are effective for rapid resolution of symptoms. Prazosin is useful as an add-on therapy for M. tamulus stings.
Topics: Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists; Animals; Antivenins; Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; Drug Therapy, Combination; Humans; Pain; Prazosin; Scorpion Stings; Scorpion Venoms; Scorpions; Steroids
PubMed: 28390429
DOI: 10.1186/s13643-017-0469-8