Peptides and medical uses thereof

A method of treating a pathological conditions, comprising administering a peptide orally or by gavage to a mammal in need thereof, wherein said peptide is isolated and characterized by the following formula (II)

• {{{[Y1-Glu-Cys(Bzl)-Cha]2-Z1}i-Z2}j-Z3}z-Y2-Y3 (Formula II)
• wherein
• Y1 is the amino-terminal peptide function (NH2) or at least one chemical group selected from:
• D-Alanine, D-Aspartic Acid, D-Valine, D-Glutamic Acid, L-Cyclohexyl-alanine, D-Phenylalanine, D-Threonine, D-Methionine, D-Lysine, D-Cysteine(S-acetamidomethyl), D-Tyrosine, D-Proline, D-Leucine, D-Arginine, D-Asparagine, D-Isoleucine, D-Arginine(Nf-Tosyl), D-Serine, L-Cysteine(S-benzyl), L-Cysteine(S-acetamidomethyl), D-Histidine, D-Glutamine, D-Tryptophan, L-Glutamic-(β-allyl) Acid, β-Alanine, L-Cysteine(S-p-methyl-benzyl), L-Cysteine(S-tert-butyl), L-Methionine-sulfone, L-Methionine-sulfoxide, Glycine, and combinations thereof;
• Glu indicates glutamic acid;
• Cys(Bzl) indicates benzyl cysteine;
• Cha indicates cyclohexylalanine;
• Y2 is selected from:
• an α-amino acid characterized by at least one thiol or thioether group;
• glycine;
• and
• R-Glu-S-Cys(Bzl)-S-Cha tripeptide;
• Y3 is selected from:
• a carboxylic group, a carboxyamide group, an N-methyl-substituted carboxyamide or di-substituted N, N-dimethyl group, a hydroxyl group and a hydrogen;
• Z1, Z2 and Z3 indicate a trifunctional molecule,
• i is 4, 2 or 1;
• j is 2, 1 or 0;
• and
• z is 1 or 0,
• with the condition that when i=4, j=2 and z=1;
• when i=2, j=1 and z=0;
• when i=1, j=z=0;
• when j=0 the Z2 group is omitted and when z=0 the Z3 group is omitted.