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Black-mamba peptides that produce potent analgesia in animals by blocking acid-sensing ion channels.
Also known as: Mamb-1 · pi-Dp1
Part of the Foundational & therapeutic peptides cluster
Overview
Mambalgins are three-finger-toxin peptides isolated from black mamba venom that inhibit acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) by trapping them in a closed conformation. In rodent studies they produced strong pain relief without the respiratory depression or tolerance associated with opioids, drawing interest as a route to novel, non-opioid analgesic research. This page is educational and not medical advice.
Source & context
Biological / chemical source: Venom of the black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis)
Primary research or clinical context: Research tool studied for analgesia and ASIC physiology
ASIC-targeting toxins
Discovered in 2012, mambalgins belong to the three-finger-toxin fold common in snake venoms but are unusual in acting on acid-sensing ion channels rather than nicotinic receptors. By stabilizing ASICs in a closed state, they blunt the acidic pain signaling those channels carry in the nervous system.
Analgesia research
In mice, mambalgins produced analgesia comparable to morphine in some assays but without the classic opioid side-effect profile, prompting study of mambalgin-derived peptides and their receptor interactions. They remain experimental molecules used to probe pain pathways, not approved treatments. This page is educational only.
Structure & chemistry
Molecular identity & reference confidence
Reference mass unavailable
Reference values are taken from the cited molecular record or curated profile. A database match is not independent laboratory verification; modifications, counter-ions, and formulations can change the measured mass.
- Molecular form
- Mambalgin (source record; form not independently established)
- Species
- Not established by this molecular identity audit
- Termini (N / C)
- Not specified / Not specified
Average reference mass
Reference policy updated: 2026-10-05
- IUPHAR/BPS source snapshot · 2026-09-06
- IUPHAR ligand: 10308
Chemistry values: IUPHAR/BPS Guide to Pharmacology · fetched 2026-09-06.
FAQ about Mambalgin
What is Mambalgin?+
Mambalgins are three-finger-toxin peptides isolated from black mamba venom that inhibit acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) by trapping them in a closed conformation. In rodent studies they produced strong pain relief without the respiratory depression or tolerance associated with opioids, drawing interest as a route to novel, non-opioid analgesic research. This page is educational and not medical advice.
What Canadian product status is recorded for Mambalgin?+
Canadian product status for Mambalgin has not been verified in this profile. No verified record here does not mean no authorization exists. Status depends on the product, formulation and use; consult Health Canada's product records.
What is the typical length of Mambalgin?+
Mambalgin is not a classic amino-acid chain peptide in the same sense; see the profile for classification details.
Related peptides
References & further reading
- 1.Osmakov et al. (2025). Two Amino Acid Substitutions Improve the Pharmacological Profile of the Snake Venom Peptide Mambalgin. Toxins (Basel)
- 2.Diochot et al. (2016). Analgesic effects of mambalgin peptide inhibitors of acid-sensing ion channels in inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Pain
- 3.UniProtKB — Mambalgin-1, Dendroaspis polylepis (P0DKR6)
- 4.Wikipedia — Mambalgin