Bioactive Peptides from Natural Sources: Current Applications and Future Directions

Dear Colleagues,

Venomous animals are considered specialized predators which have developed the most sophisticated apparatus regarding chemistry and pharmacology of bioactive peptides, able to produce a wide range of toxins with incredible structural and functional diversity and directed against a variety of pharmacological targets and with potential therapeutic applications.

For example, studies on the molecular characterization of toxins from Bothrops jararaca snake venom resulted in the discovery of bradykinin and bradykinin-potentiating peptides (BPPs), recognized as the first natural inhibitors of angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) and a model for the development of captopril, the first ACE inhibitor and the first commercially available drug for the treatment of arterial hypertension. In this sense, several peptides obtained from venoms of amphibians, snakes, scorpions, and spiders have been reported in the literature as important bioactive compounds with important pharmacological effects and potential therapeutic applications.

The aim of this Special Issue is to report the current advances in bioactive peptides from natural sources. Research areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: discovery and characterization of novel bioactive peptides, including pharmacological studies and the development of bioproducts. We are inviting the submission of original research articles or reviews that relate to the above topics.

Dr. Daniel Dias Rufino Arcanjo
Prof. Dr. José Roberto Souza Almeida Leite
Dr. Alexandra Plácido
Guest Editors

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