New Perspective on Bioactive Peptides from Natural Sources: Current Applications and Future Directions

A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 142

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
LAFMOL–Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Studies in Physiopharmacology, Department of Biophysics and Physiology, Federal University of Piauí, Teresina 64049-550, Brazil
Interests: bioactive peptides; cardiovascular; diabetes; dyslipidemia; endothelium; hypertension; medicinal plants; natural products; pharmacology; preclinical toxicology; vasorelaxant
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Center in Applied Morphology and Immunology (NuPMIA), Faculty of Medicine (FM), University of Brasília (UnB), Brasília 70910-900, DF, Brazil
Interests: biotechnology; bionanotechnology; bioprospection; biomolecules; health and environment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A plethora of bioactive peptides from various natural sources has gained increasing recognition for their diverse biological activities. Venomous animals are considered specialized predators that have evolved highly sophisticated biochemical and pharmacological systems, enabling them to produce a wide range of toxins with remarkable structural and functional diversity. In addition, peptides derived from plant proteins also contribute to health promotion and disease prevention. They exhibit functional properties such as emulsifying capacity and water and oil retention, which are associated with their physicochemical characteristics. These attributes support the potential of plant-derived bioactive peptides as promising candidates for the development of health-promoting and functional products. Accordingly, numerous peptides obtained from natural sources, including food plants and animal venoms or secretions, have been reported in the literature as bioactive compounds with significant 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 from animal and plant sources; development of novel synthetic derivatives; pharmacological studies; and the development of pharmaceutical and/or nutraceutical bioproducts. We are inviting the submission of original research articles or reviews that relate to the above topics.

Dr. Daniel Dias Rufino Arcanjo
Dr. José Roberto de Souza de Almeida Leite
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceuticals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bioactivity
  • bioassays
  • bioproducts
  • functional foods
  • immunogenicity
  • nutraceuticals
  • pharmacology
  • plant-derived peptides
  • skin secretion
  • toxicology
  • venom

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Review

26 pages, 1692 KB  
Review
Peptides from Animal Venoms: A Promising Frontier in Diabetes Therapy via Multi-Target Mechanisms
by José Otávio Carvalho Sena de Almeida, Simón Gabriel Comerma-Steffensen, José Roberto de Souza de Almeida Leite, Ulf Simonsen and Daniel Dias Rufino Arcanjo
Pharmaceuticals 2025, 18(10), 1438; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18101438 - 25 Sep 2025
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Bioactive peptides derived from animal venoms, toxins, and secretions demonstrate considerable pharmacological potential for use in the management of diabetes mellitus—a highly prevalent metabolic disorder of substantial global health significance. This integrative review systematically evaluated the current evidence regarding the pharmacological mechanisms [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Bioactive peptides derived from animal venoms, toxins, and secretions demonstrate considerable pharmacological potential for use in the management of diabetes mellitus—a highly prevalent metabolic disorder of substantial global health significance. This integrative review systematically evaluated the current evidence regarding the pharmacological mechanisms underlying the antidiabetic properties of these bioactive peptides. Methods: This study was guided by the research question “What are the mechanisms of action of peptides derived from animal venoms in modulating parameters associated with diabetes?” developed using the PECo framework. A comprehensive literature search was executed across Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science, focusing on studies from the last five years. Out of 190 identified articles, 17 satisfied the inclusion criteria. Results: Twenty-eight distinct peptides were characterized, exhibiting structural diversity with 7–115 amino acid residues and molecular weights of 900–13,000 Da. These compounds were sourced from venomous taxa including sea anemones, marine snails, spiders, centipedes, scorpions, and snakes. Their antidiabetic mechanisms encompassed glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonism, insulin receptor activation, potassium channel inhibition, glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) upregulation, and α-amylase inhibition. Sequence analyses revealed substantial homology among peptides with analogous mechanisms—notably Con-Ins and ILP-Ap04, plus SpTx1 and SsTx-4—suggesting that structural determinants underlie their functional characteristics. Toxicological evaluations of nine peptides demonstrated low-toxicity profiles despite originating from toxic venom, crucial for therapeutic development. Conclusions: These peptides exhibited exceptional pharmacological potency with effective doses in nanogram-to-nanomole per kilogram ranges. Collectively, our findings underscore the therapeutic potential of venom-derived peptides as innovative candidates for use in diabetes management. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop