Potential pharmacological use of salivary compounds from hematophagous organisms

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.