Neurotoxic and Neuroactive Compounds from Cnidaria: Five Decades of Research….and More

Title:Neurotoxic and Neuroactive Compounds from Cnidaria: Five Decades of Research….and More

Volume: 15 Issue: 2

Author(s): Gian L. Mariottini, Gaido Bonello, Elisabetta Giacco and Luigi Pane

Affiliation:

Keywords: Anemones, corals, drug discovery, jellyfish, neurotoxicity, venom.

Abstract: Cnidarians are numbered among the most venomous organisms. Their venoms are contained in intracellular capsules, nematocysts, which inject the content into preys/attackers through an eversion system resembling a syringe needle. Several cnidarian venoms have activity against the nervous system, being neurotoxic, or affect other systems whose functioning is under nerve control. Besides direct damage to nerve cells, the activity on ionic conductance, blockade of neuromuscular junctions, and influence on action potentials and on voltage-gated channels have been described. Therefore, cnidarians can be a useful source of nervous system-targeted compounds which could have, in perspective, a role in the therapy of some nervous system diseases. Following this idea, this article aims to review the existing data about the neuroactive properties of cnidarian venoms and their possible usefulness in tackling some neurological diseases as well as neurodegenerative age-related diseases whose incidence is expected to raise in the next decades owing to the increase of life expectancy.

Cite this article as:

Mariottini L. Gian, Bonello Gaido, Giacco Elisabetta and Pane Luigi, Neurotoxic and Neuroactive Compounds from Cnidaria: Five Decades of Research….and More, Central Nervous System Agents in Medicinal Chemistry 2015; 15 (2) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1871524915666150309141900