Lee Ye-Seul, Lee Yoon Jae, Ha In-Hyuk
Jaseng Spine and Joint Research Institute, Jaseng Medical Foundation, Seoul 06110, Republic of Korea.
Toxins (Basel). 2025 May 5;17(5):229. doi: 10.3390/toxins17050229.
, commonly known as the Chinese red-headed centipede, has been utilized in traditional East Asian medicine for centuries to treat conditions such as chronic pain, inflammation, convulsions, and infections. Recent pharmacological investigations have uncovered a wide array of bioactive molecules-including peptides, alkaloids, and polysaccharide-protein complexes-from both venom and whole-body extracts. This review synthesizes findings from 45 in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies investigating the pharmacological effects of venom-derived and whole-body-derived compounds from across multiple domains, including analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant, antitumor, antithrombotic, anti-fibrotic, and neuroprotective activities, along with a brief scoping review of clinical practice guidelines. Key venom-derived compounds such as the peptide SsmTX-I, immunomodulatory antimicrobial peptide scolopendrasin IX, and antitumor peptide scolopentide exhibit strong mechanistic rationale and preclinical efficacy, positioning them as lead candidates for clinical development. Compounds derived from whole-body extracts, including alkaloids and polysaccharide-protein complexes, also demonstrate promising therapeutic potential. Mechanistic studies suggest these compounds operate via distinct pathways-such as ion-channel inhibition, NF-κB suppression, and apoptosis induction-offering potential advantages over existing therapies. However, current evidence remains primarily preclinical, and challenges such as extract variability, immunogenicity, and lack of standardized dosing must be addressed. Future research should prioritize isolation and structural optimization of key peptides, standardized formulation development, toxicological profiling, and early-phase human trials. The integration of traditional knowledge and modern pharmacological insights underscores the potential of venom- and whole-body-derived agents to enrich the drug discovery, particularly for conditions with unmet therapeutic needs.
，通常被称为中国红头蜈蚣，在东亚传统医学中已被使用了几个世纪，用于治疗慢性疼痛、炎症、惊厥和感染等病症。最近的药理学研究从毒液和全身提取物中发现了大量生物活性分子，包括肽、生物碱和多糖-蛋白质复合物。本综述综合了45项体外、体内和临床研究的结果，这些研究调查了来自多个领域的毒液衍生和全身衍生化合物的药理作用，包括镇痛、抗炎、抗菌、抗真菌、抗氧化、抗肿瘤、抗血栓、抗纤维化和神经保护活性，同时对临床实践指南进行了简要的范围审查。关键的毒液衍生化合物，如肽SsmTX-I、免疫调节抗菌肽蜈蚣素IX和抗肿瘤肽蜈蚣肽，表现出强大的作用机制原理和临床前疗效，使其成为临床开发的主要候选药物。来自全身提取物的化合物，包括生物碱和多糖-蛋白质复合物，也显示出有前景的治疗潜力。机制研究表明，这些化合物通过不同的途径发挥作用，如离子通道抑制、NF-κB抑制和凋亡诱导，与现有疗法相比具有潜在优势。然而，目前的证据主要是临床前的，必须解决提取物变异性、免疫原性和缺乏标准化给药等挑战。未来的研究应优先对关键肽进行分离和结构优化、开发标准化制剂、进行毒理学分析和开展早期人体试验。传统知识与现代药理学见解的结合强调了毒液和全身衍生药物在丰富药物发现方面的潜力，特别是对于治疗需求未得到满足的病症。
