Medicinal Use of Venoms and Toxins - by Bobby McBride (Hardcover)

About the Book

Toxins are substances produced by the metabolic activities of numerous plants and animals that are poisonous or toxic to humans. There are certain toxins which provide medicinal benefits if consumed in small quantities but may prove to be deadly if consumed in large quantities. Venom (or zootoxin) is a type of toxin produced by many groups of animals. It can enter into the human body or any animal body through a wound, bite or sting. They are primarily of toxicological concern in natural ecosystems but are frequently used as therapeutic agents. Venom is made up of a variety of highly selective and potent toxins, with each component differing in its structural complexity. It can be a mixture of simplistic peptides, secondary (α-helices and β-sheets) structured proteins, and tertiary structured proteins (crystalline structures). Venoms of several animal species and their active components, including protein and non-protein toxins, peptides, and enzymes have demonstrated therapeutic potential against cancer. The snake venom proteins are used to treat various conditions including thrombosis, arthritis, and some cancers. This book examines the medicinal uses of venoms and toxins in detail. It will serve as a valuable source of reference for biologists, biochemists, toxicologists, and epidemiologists.

Book Synopsis

Toxins are substances produced by the metabolic activities of numerous plants and animals that are poisonous or toxic to humans. There are certain toxins which provide medicinal benefits if consumed in small quantities but may prove to be deadly if consumed in large quantities. Venom (or zootoxin) is a type of toxin produced by many groups of animals. It can enter into the human body or any animal body through a wound, bite or sting. They are primarily of toxicological concern in natural ecosystems but are frequently used as therapeutic agents. Venom is made up of a variety of highly selective and potent toxins, with each component differing in its structural complexity. It can be a mixture of simplistic peptides, secondary (α-helices and β-sheets) structured proteins, and tertiary structured proteins (crystalline structures). Venoms of several animal species and their active components, including protein and non-protein toxins, peptides, and enzymes have demonstrated therapeutic potential against cancer. The snake venom proteins are used to treat various conditions including thrombosis, arthritis, and some cancers. This book examines the medicinal uses of venoms and toxins in detail. It will serve as a valuable source of reference for biologists, biochemists, toxicologists, and epidemiologists.