Peptides

Along with carbohydrates and lipids, proteins are essential for life as they are the major structural components of human and animal tissue. Proteins may contain anywhere from two to several thousand amino acids, making amino acids the building blocks for proteins. Peptides are chains of amino acids. Peptides are composed of 15% to 25% nitrogen, similar to proteins, but are much smaller, having a molecular weight of 10,000. As they are basically small proteins, every life process in both human and animal tissue involves peptides in some way.

What Role Do Peptides Play?

Peptides are responsible for regulating body functions such as hormone release, blood sugar level regulation, bone metabolism, and various other neurological processes. Because of their value in the life process, peptides have recently been identified as playing a role in biopharmaceuticals. After all, many antibiotics and vaccinations are protein based, and skin surface antimicrobial peptides are responsible for being components for the first line of defense against skin infection. Peptide-based drugs have been targeted towards:

• Cancers


• Viral infections


• Diabetes


• Neurological disorders


• Endocrine disorders


• Pain treatments.

Recently, peptides have also boosted the skin care and wrinkle treatment topical lotion industry. Certain tests have shown that copper peptides (copper is found in trace amounts in every cell) have an impact on wound healing as well as enhancing and stimulating collagen and antioxidant production. More comprehensive studies are necessary, but there are some cosmetic companies who sell copper peptide products that claim visible results on fine lines, age spots, and sun damage with no reported side effects.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, protein and peptide toxins and poisons are oftentimes the most deadly; for example snake venom, ricin, and diphtheria. Yet, there are certain peptide based toxins that are both a venom and a treatment, such as melittin, a honey bee venom that is sometimes used to treat rheumatism.

The Future of Peptides

Peptides play an essential role in life processes, including the functioning of the immune system, and their original function is still thought to be the killing of bacteria. The primary structure, or the types and the order of amino acids that make up a peptide, is oftentimes difficult to determine. There are many companies and corporations that attempt to classify and identify strains of peptides that can be directed towards specific arenas of health care. With new discoveries and innovative research, peptide-based vaccines and topical ointments may surge forward in the coming years to the forefront of the health industry.

By Barbara Poelle