Mechanistic insights of snake venom disintegrins in cancer treatment.

Snake venoms are a potential source of various enzymatic and non-enzymatic compounds with a defensive role for the host. Various peptides with significant medicinal properties have been isolated and characterized from these venoms. Few of these are FDA approved. They inhibit tumor cells adhesion, migration, angiogenesis and metastasis by inhibiting integrins on transmembrane cellular surfaces. This plays important role in delaying tumor growth, neovascularization and development. Tumor targeting and smaller size make them ideal candidates as novel therapeutic agents for cancer treatment. This review is based on sources of these disintegrins, their targeting modality, classification and underlying anti-cancer potential.