Indian Journal of Experimental Biology Vol. 48, February 2010, pp. 93-103 Review Article Anticancer potential of animal venoms and toxins Antony Gomes*, Pushpak Bhattacharjee, Roshnara Mishra, Ajoy K. Biswas, Subir Chandra Dasgupta & Biplab Giri Laboratory of Toxinology and Experimental Pharmacodynamics, Department of Physiology, University of Calcutta, 92 A P C Road, Kolkata 700 009, India and Anindita Debnath, Shubho Das Gupta, Tanaya Das & Aparna Gomes Drug Development Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata 700 032, India Anticancer drug development from natural resources are ventured throughout the world. Animal venoms and toxins a potential bio resource and a therapeutic tool were known to man for centuries through folk and traditional knowledge. The biodiversity of venoms and toxins made it a unique source of leads and structural templates from which new therapeutic agents may be developed. Venoms of several animal species (snake, scorpion, toad, frog etc) and their active components (protein and non protein toxins, peptides, enzymes, etc) have shown therapeutic potential against cancer. In the present review, the anticancer potential of venoms and toxins from snakes, scorpions, toads and frogs has been discussed. Some of these molecules are in the clinical trials and may find their way towards anticancer drug development in the near future. The implications of combination therapy of natural products in cancer have been discussed. Keywords: Anticancer activity, Combination therapy, Toxins, Venoms Venoms and toxins not only caused global morbidity and mortality, but are also used as potential probe for illuminating multifaceted biological processes. By definition, venoms are the secretion of venomous animals, which are synthesized and stored in specific areas of their body i.e., venom glands. The animals use venoms for defense or to immobilize the prey. Most of the venoms are complex mixture of a number of proteins, peptides, enzymes, toxins and non protein inclusions. Venom composition and chemistry varies among species, age, sex and different geographic regions. Toxins, occurring in venoms and poisons of venomous animals, are chemically pure toxic substances with more or less specific actions on biological systems. The biodiversity and specificity of venoms and toxins make them a unique source of leads and structural templates from which new therapeutic agents are being developed. Medicinal application of venoms and toxins has been mentioned in Ayurvedic, Unani, Chinese and Homeopathic system of medicines. For example, the ancient Indian physician Sushruta (7 th century B.C.) used snake venom to prolong life. Charaka had the opinion that in case of “Udra Roga” (disease of gastrointestinal tract), which was uncontrollable by other medicinal measures, snake venom was very useful. In “Charak Samhita” and “Vagbata” cobra venom had been said to be useful in “Dushydara” and “Jalodara” (ascites). Venom of spider, bee, and snakes are routinely used in homeopathic medicine 1 . For more than 2000 years, Buthus martensii Karsch venom was used to treat different ailments as described in Chinese traditional medical practice. In ancient Gallenical preparation, known to the Chinese as Chan Su (Senso to the Japanese), toad and frog skin extracts have been used for treating various diseases. Chinese toad skins, soaked in wine, are used for the treatment of leukemia 2 . Use of animal venoms and toxins in ethnic folk medicine are the basis of modern research. Venoms and toxins have found a niche in the pharmaceutical market. Several isolated toxins with a known mode of action have practical applications as pharmaceutical agents, diagnostic reagents or preparative tools 3 . Chinese medical companies and traditional drug stores have marketed amphibian parts like dried oviducts of the frog Rana chensinensis and __________ *Correspondent author Telephone: 91-33-2350 8386 (Ext 229) Mobile: +91-9433139031 Fax: 91-33-2351 9755 Email : agomescu@gmail.com; gomesantony@hotmail.com