Anti-Tumor Effects of Melittin and Its Potential Applications in Clinic.
Melittin, a major component of bee venom, is a water-soluble toxic peptide of which a various biological effects have been identified to be useful in anti-tumor therapy. In addition, Melittin also has anti-parasitic, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory activities. Therefore, it is a very attractive therapeutic candidate for human diseases. However, melittin induces extensive hemolysis, a severe side effect that dampens its future development and clinical application. Thus, studies of melittin derivatives and new drug delivery systems have been conducted to explore approaches for optimizing the efficacy of this compound, while reducing its toxicity. A number of reviews have focused on each side, respectively. In this review, we summarize the research progress on the anti-tumor effects of melittin and its derivatives, and discuss its future potential clinical applications.
['Lyu|Can|C|', 'Fang|Fanfu|F|', 'Li|Bai|B|']
D000818:Animals D000890:Anti-Infective Agents D000970:Antineoplastic Agents D001514:Bee Venoms D016503:Drug Delivery Systems D006801:Humans D008555:Melitten D009369:Neoplasms
anti-tumor effect Melittin bee venom hemolysis clinical applications melittin derivatives.