Jellyfish venom proteins and their pharmacological potentials: A review

Abstract

Several research in the organisms of marine invertebrates to assess the medicinal ability of its bio-active molecules have yielded very positive results in recent times. Jellyfish secreted venoms are rich sources of toxins intended to catch prey or deter predators among invertebrate species, but they may also have harmful effects on humans. The nematocyst, a complex intracellular system that injects a venomous mixture into prey or predators that come into contact with the tentacles or other parts of the body of cnidarians, determines the venomous existence of cnidarians. Nematocyst venoms are mixtures of peptides, proteins and other components that in laboratory animals can induce cytotoxicity, blockade of ion channels, membrane pore formation, in vivo cardiovascular failure and lethal effects. There are also valuable pharmacological and biological aspects of jellyfish venoms. In the present review, overviews of the variety of possible toxin families in cnidarian venoms are addressed in this analysis and these potential toxins are surveyed with those from other cnidarians that offer insight into their potential functions such as anti-oxidant, anti-cancer activity and much more. This research review will provide awareness of the growing repertoire of jellyfish venom proteins and will help to further isolate and classify particular proteins to understand its structure and functional relationship.

Keywords: Jellyfish; Pharmacology potential; Venom protein.