蜈蚣是一味傳統的重要動物藥材，其中藥藥用已有幾千年的歷史。根據《中國藥典》和《中華本草》記述，蜈蚣具有祛風止痙、通絡止痛、攻毒散結的功效，可用於驚風、癲癇、痙攣抽搐、中風口歪、半身不遂、破傷風、風溼頑痺、偏頭痛以及毒物咬傷等的治療。雖然蜈蚣的藥用價值被國內外醫學專家所重視，用蜈蚣配成的中成藥和處方在百餘種以上，但由於缺乏系統全面的對蜈蚣藥效分子群的識別和相應的藥理學活性解析的研究，使得蜈蚣蘊含的豐富的天然藥用活性物質未能得到充分認識，成為有效利用蜈蚣藥用價值和創新藥物研發的重要瓶頸。
中國科學院昆明動物研究所動物模型與人類疾病機理重點實驗室生物毒素與人類疾病課題組在張雲和李文輝研究員帶領下，採用先進的現代生物化學與分子生物學研究技術和手段，對蜈蚣的藥效分子群和藥理學活性進行了迄今為止最全面系統的揭秘,新識別了400餘種蜈蚣肽類生物活性物質。該課題組進一步與華中科技大學分子生物物理重點實驗室丁久平課題組合作，揭示了許多蜈蚣肽類生物活性物質可作用於不同的細胞膜離子通道（包括鈉、鉀、鈣離子通道等）而發揮藥理學作用。人類離子通道是產生生物電信號和胞內鈣離子信號的膜蛋白分子，離子通道功能的紊亂可導致人體幾乎所有組織和器官的多種疾病，是目前藥物開發中排名第二的藥物靶點。上述研究成果不僅科學地詮釋了傳統中藥蜈蚣的藥理藥效學基礎，從分子水平直接證明蜈蚣藥用的有效性，也提供了蜈蚣中藥材更科學的標準制定、炮製和應用的科學依據。該研究同時識別了一些導致過敏、出血等相關副作用的物質，為安全利用蜈蚣藥材提供了有益指導。一大批結構新穎的離子通道調節劑的發現，也為基於蜈蚣藥效成分的現代創新藥物研發打下堅實基礎，具有重要的生物醫學基礎研究和臨床應用價值。文章已在線發表於美國化學聯合會官方雜誌 Journal of Proteome Research 。該研究受到國家973計劃項目、國家基金委－雲南省聯合基金重點項目以及國家基金委面上項目的資助。（生物谷Bioon.com）
Venomic and Transcriptomic Analysis of Centipede Scolopendra subspinipes dehaani
Liu ZC, Zhang R, Zhao F, Chen ZM, Liu HW, Wang YJ, Jiang P, Zhang Y, Wu Y, Ding JP, Lee WH, Zhang Y.
Centipedes have venom glands in their first pair of limbs and their venoms contain a large number of components with different biochemical and pharmacological properties. However, information about the compositions and functions of their venoms is largely unknown. In this study, Scolopendra subspinipes dehaani venoms were systematically investigated by transcriptomic and proteomic analysis coupled with biological function assays. After random screening approximately 1500 independent clones, 1122 full length cDNA sequences, which encoding 543 different proteins, were cloned from a constructed cDNA library using a pair of venom gland from a single centipede species. Neurotoxins, ion channel acting components and venom allergens were the main fractions of the crude venom as revealed by transcriptomic analysis. Meanwhile, 40 proteins/peptides were purified and characterized from crude venom of S. subspinipes dehaani. The N-terminal amino acid sequencing and mass spectrum results of 29 out of these 40 proteins or peptides matched well with their corresponding cDNAs. The purified proteins/peptides showed different pharmacological properties, including: (1) platelet aggregating activity; (2) anticoagulant activity; (3) phospholipase A(2) activity; (4) trypsin inhibiting activity; (5) voltage-gated potassium channel activities; (6) voltage-gated sodium channel activities; (7) voltage-gated calcium channel activities. Most of them showed no significant similarity to other protein sequences deposited in the known public database. This work provides the largest number of protein or peptide candidates with medical-pharmaceutical significance and reveals the toxin nature of centipede S. subspinipes dehaani venom.