Bioactive Peptides: An Advanced Version of Antiviral and Immunomodulatory Therapeutics

Abstract

Bioactive peptides are short chains of amino acids with certain amino acid sequences that have various therapeutic effects. These peptides emerged as new class of therapeutics as they combine special qualities including high binding affinity, superior target specificity, low toxicity, and a relatively tiny mass etc. Some bioactive peptide possess antiviral activity by targeting viral envelop and by inhibiting viral entry into the host cells. They are advantageous as they don’t exhibit viral resistance like other conventional antiviral drugs. On the other hand, some bioactive peptides have immunomodulatory effects by reducing the expression of proinflammatory molecules such as IL-6, TNF-α, and COX-2. Bioactive peptides show promise as a potential substitute for or addition to conventional antiviral and immunomodulatory medications.