É-Conotoxins GVIA, MVIIA and CVID: SAR and Clinical Potential

• Main Authors: Richard J. Lewis, Christina I. Schroeder
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2006-04-01
• Series: Marine Drugs
• Subjects: É-conotoxin; Structure-Activity relationship; pain
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/4/3/193/
• ISSN: 1660-3397

Abstract: Highly selective N-type voltage-gated calcium (CaV) channel inhibitors from cone snail venom (the É-conotoxins) have emerged as a new class of therapeutics for the treatment of chronic and neuropathic pain. Earlier in 2005, Prialt (Elan) or synthetic É-conotoxin MVIIA, was the first É-conotoxin to be approved by Food and Drug Administration for human use. This review compares the action of three É-conotoxins, GVIA, MVIIA and CVID, describing their structure-activity relationships and potential as leads for the design of improved N-type therapeutics that are more useful in the treatment of chronic pain.