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Revista de la Facultad de Medicina
Print version ISSN 0120-0011
Abstract
VELASQUEZ, Juan José; NAVARRO-VARGAS, José Ricardo and MONCADA, Ligia. Potential pharmacological use of salivary compounds from hematophagous organisms. rev.fac.med. [online]. 2017, vol.65, n.3, pp.501-505. ISSN 0120-0011. https://doi.org/10.15446/revfacmed.v65n3.52835.
Introduction:
The saliva of hematophagous or blood-sucking insects contains different substances that allow obtaining and ingesting the blood of their vertebrate hosts without being detected.
Objective:
To explore the salivary compounds of hematophagous insects which have vasodilator, anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and anesthetic properties, and that can be exploited due to their high pharmacological potential.
Materials and methods:
A non-systematic literature review was done in PubMed, EMBASE, and ScienceDirect OvidSP; data was not limited by date, language nor item type. Articles on salivary compounds of blood-sucking insects, whose main topic was the effects on hemostasis, immunomodulation and drug use, were sought. 59 articles met the criteria for inclusion in the review.
Conclusions:
The saliva of hematophagous insects has a wide variety of molecules that constitute a source of research and have an incalculable potential for the discovery of compounds that could be pharmacologically useful.
Keywords : Saliva; Pharmacology; Anticoagulants; Vasodilators; Anti-inflammatory; Anesthetics (MeSH).