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Frog skin diabetes treatment hope | Frog skin diabetes treatment hope |
(about 8 hours later) | |
Skin secretions from a South American "shrinking" frog could be used to treat type 2 diabetes, researchers say. | Skin secretions from a South American "shrinking" frog could be used to treat type 2 diabetes, researchers say. |
A compound isolated from the frog, which grows to 27cm as a tadpole before shrinking to 4cm in adulthood, stimulates insulin release. | |
A synthetic version of the compound - pseudin-2 - could be used to produce new drugs, delegates at the Diabetes UK annual conference heard. | A synthetic version of the compound - pseudin-2 - could be used to produce new drugs, delegates at the Diabetes UK annual conference heard. |
Around two million people in the UK have type 2 diabetes. | Around two million people in the UK have type 2 diabetes. |
The condition, which is often associated with being overweight, develops because the body does not produce enough insulin, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly. | The condition, which is often associated with being overweight, develops because the body does not produce enough insulin, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly. |
It means people cannot regulate their blood glucose levels properly. | It means people cannot regulate their blood glucose levels properly. |
Scientists from the University of Ulster and United Arab Emirates University have tested a synthetic version of pseudin-2, a compound which protects the paradoxical frog from infection. | Scientists from the University of Ulster and United Arab Emirates University have tested a synthetic version of pseudin-2, a compound which protects the paradoxical frog from infection. |
More research is needed, but there is a growing body of work around natural anti-diabetic drug discovery that, as you can see, is already yielding fascinating results Dr Yasser Abdel-Wahab | More research is needed, but there is a growing body of work around natural anti-diabetic drug discovery that, as you can see, is already yielding fascinating results Dr Yasser Abdel-Wahab |
They found it stimulated the secretion of insulin in pancreatic cells in the laboratory. | They found it stimulated the secretion of insulin in pancreatic cells in the laboratory. |
And importantly, there were no toxic effects on the cells. | And importantly, there were no toxic effects on the cells. |
The synthetic version was better at stimulating insulin than the natural compound, opening the way for it potential development as a drug for treating diabetes. | The synthetic version was better at stimulating insulin than the natural compound, opening the way for it potential development as a drug for treating diabetes. |
Amphibians | Amphibians |
Study leader Dr Yasser Abdel-Wahab, senior lecturer in biomedical sciences at the University of Ulster, said there had been a lot of research into bioactive molecules from amphibian skin secretions. | Study leader Dr Yasser Abdel-Wahab, senior lecturer in biomedical sciences at the University of Ulster, said there had been a lot of research into bioactive molecules from amphibian skin secretions. |
One recently developed diabetes drug - exenatide - was developed from a hormone in the saliva of the Gila monster - a lizard found in south-western United States and northern Mexico. | One recently developed diabetes drug - exenatide - was developed from a hormone in the saliva of the Gila monster - a lizard found in south-western United States and northern Mexico. |
"We found that it stimulated the secretion of insulin and that the synthetic version is more potent that pseudin-2 itself. | "We found that it stimulated the secretion of insulin and that the synthetic version is more potent that pseudin-2 itself. |
"More research is needed, but there is a growing body of work around natural anti-diabetic drug discovery that, as you can see, is already yielding fascinating results." | "More research is needed, but there is a growing body of work around natural anti-diabetic drug discovery that, as you can see, is already yielding fascinating results." |
Douglas Smallwood, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said although type 2 diabetes could be managed with diet and physical activity, the condition was progressive and may require medication to control it effectively. | Douglas Smallwood, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said although type 2 diabetes could be managed with diet and physical activity, the condition was progressive and may require medication to control it effectively. |
"Good diabetes control reduces the risk of complications including blindness, heart disease, kidney problems and amputation so new treatments are vital." | "Good diabetes control reduces the risk of complications including blindness, heart disease, kidney problems and amputation so new treatments are vital." |
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