A South American Nocturnal frog may prove to be the key to solving the type 2 diabetes puzzle. The Pseudis paradoxa (Paradoxical Frog) got its name due to its strange ability to shrink as it matures. However, scientists studying its skin have discovered that the paradoxical frog has another uncanny ability. It has recently been revealed that the frog’s slimy skin contains a particular compound that can stimulate the release of insulin, the fundamental hormone that is lacking in diabetes sufferers.
So far, scientists have reproduced an artificial copy of the peptide (known as pseudin-2), a protein building-block that protects the paradoxical frog from disease. Researchers have suggested that this peptide could be used to increase insulin production in people with type 2 diabetes.
So far, scientists have reproduced an artificial copy of the peptide (known as pseudin-2), a protein building-block that protects the paradoxical frog from disease. Researchers have suggested that this peptide could be used to increase insulin production in people with type 2 diabetes.
Researchers from the University of Ulster and United Arab Emirates University have tested the artificial copy of the peptide and found that it increased the release of insulin in cultured cells by 50 per cent. They believe that the synthetic version could join a new class of medicines, which would highly advantage diabetics by helping them control their condition when other forms of treatment have failed. With these discoveries, the future does indeed look brighter for diabetics.
By: Student Number 41756328
for more information go to
Full Article: "Amazon frog may help battle type-2 diabetes." "The Australian" March 4 2008
No comments:
Post a Comment