The invention provides parstatin peptides, particularly a mammalian parstatin peptide including amino acids 1-26 of full length mammalian parstatin, preferably a human parstatin. The invention provides parstatin peptides in appropriate pharmaceutical carriers and formulated for administration. The invention provides for the use of the peptide for example as a medicament or for the preparation of a medicament. The invention provides methods of use for parstatin peptides including for inhibition of angiogenesis, for example for inhibition of ocular angiogenesis, for methods of cardioprotection, and for methods of prevention and treatment of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.