Research articleOpen accessVol. 4, Issue 5, April 2015
- Published
- 30 April 2015
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0
Abstract
Emerging viral infections pose a persistent global threat due to their rapid transmission, high mutation rates, and potential to cause epidemics or pandemics. Traditional antiviral strategies have struggled to keep pace with the evolving nature of these viruses, necessitating the development of novel therapeutic approaches. Among these, peptide-based antivirals have garnered increasing attention due to their high specificity, modular design, biocompatibility, and potential to disrupt critical virus-host interactions. These therapeutic peptides can function through multiple mechanisms, including viral entry inhibition, replication disruption, and immune modulation. This manuscript provides a comprehensive exploration of the potential of peptide-based antivirals as a viable strategy against emerging viral infections. The review highlights key examples of antiviral peptides, their sources (including natural, synthetic, and engineered peptides), mechanisms of action, and preclinical success. Furthermore, it assesses challenges in stability, delivery, and resistance, along with promising solutions such as cyclization, nanocarriers, and conjugation strategies. The discussion establishes the relevance of peptide antivirals as both standalone agents and components of combinatory antiviral therapies, supporting their potential translation into effective treatments for a broad spectrum of viral threats.
Keywords: Peptide antivirals, viral inhibition, emerging infections, host-virus interactions, therapeutic peptides
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How to cite
Tushar Nair (2015). Potential of Peptide-Based Antivirals for Emerging Viral Infections. International Journal for Research in Management & Pharmacy, 4(5).
Licence
This article is open access, published under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Copyright remains with the authors.