This little South American frog (get the name! Paradoxical Frog (Pseudis paradoxa)) has been found to secrete a synthesixable ooze that can stimulate the secretion of insulin in pancreatic cells.
The paradoxical frog, Pseudis paradoxa, secretes a substance from its skin which protects it from infection. But the molecule, pseudin-2, may have another use for humans. Researchers found that it stimulates the release of insulin, the vital hormone which is deficient in diabetes sufferers.
Scientists made an artificial copy of the peptide, or protein building block, and showed that it could be used to boost insulin production in people with Type 2 diabetes.
They believe it could provide a new diabetes drug treatment, part of a new class of medicines called incretin mimetics which mimic natural substances.
The bright green and pink paradoxical frog, from Trinidad and the Amazon basin, is appropriately named because of its odd habit of shrinking with age.
As a tadpole, it can reach 27 centimetres in length, but adult frogs are only about four centimetres long.
1 comment:
Hi Ian,
Here they go again, exploiting animals,if we took better care of our selves,taught our children the right way to eat we would not need to exploit animals to find a cure for this and that.
As for diabetes, my mother and 4 of her sisters got adult onset diabetes, 2 of my brothers has it, I do not,they keep telling me its a forty thing and my little brother got it when he was in his late 20s.GUESS what I am 40!!. I am the only one who changed our taught eating patterns. We spend $200 a week on vegies and thats for only 2 of us. So I will keep eating my vegies.
Keep up the good info on your blog. look forward to reading it
Regards
Rachel
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