In the developing world, the cancer as a prevalent cause of mortality is a new emerging challenges in medical and pharmaceutical sciences. Marine environs are regarded as a rich source of natural products with broad of therapeutic uses. Numerous bioactive peptides and depsi-peptides have been extracted from various marine organisms such as tunicates, sponges, molluscs and other marine organisms, with anti-cancer potential. They can produce the complex compounds which are more effective than presented anti-cancer drugs. Some of these marine peptides are under different clinical trials phases; they are secondary metabolites that produced by these organisms. According to different studies, their anti-cancer potential is related to some properties like antioxidant, anti- proliferative and anti-mutations effects. These peptides can stimulate cell death by various mechanisms, such as apoptosis, affecting the balance tubulin- microtubules (antimicrotubules), inhibition of angiogenesis, antiproliferative and cytotoxicity effects. Further studies on the reaction states of these compounds on cell cycle or apoptosis in cancer cells, are essential. The future of remedies, belong to the sea; and the sea, will have the major percentage in drug discovery, particularly in anti-cancer drugs.

Cyanobacterial peptides are a group of promising natural therapeutic agents that have been extensively studied in recent years. They can be valuable pharmaceuticals or lead compounds in developing novel therapeutics for various diseases, especially cancers, infections, and neurodegenerative diseases, which are the most important challenges of medicine today. HIGHLIGHTS Cyanobacteria are a valuable source of natural metabolites, including bioactive peptides. Cyanobacterial peptides include ribosomal synthesized and nonribosomal peptides (NRPs). Therapeutic applications of cyanobacterial peptides in different diseases have been reported.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is the sudden loss of kidney function that occurs within hours or days, resulting in the accumulation of waste materials in the blood and disruption of fluid balance. AKI is prevalent among hospitalized patients, especially the elderly in the intensive care units. Inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis are typical physiological responses following AKI. Peptides, especially bioactive peptides, exhibit various properties, including immunomodulatory and antihypertensive effects, and functions against diabetes, obesity, and cancer. In recent years, much attention has been drawn to the application of peptides and bioactive peptides in pharmaceuticals, particularly for their potential use, alone or in combination, in the treatment of AKI. Given the critical role of inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis pathways in AKI, along with the anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and antioxidant effects of peptides, this study was designed to review the effects and underlying mechanisms of peptides in AKI.