March 4, 2008

Frogs skin to help diabetics

A team of scientists studying the small South American Paradoxical frog have found that it may have some unique properties that could help to make millions of peoples lives much better and it is all down to the unique properties that can be found on the frog’s skin.

As the frogs get older they shrink slightly, this makes the skin form a slimy film which is what the scientists have been studying. This substance can actually stimulate the release of insulin, which as we know is what’s needed to treat the disease diabetes.

Researchers have already been able to produce an artificial copy of the protein, and when used in the lab in culture cells it boosted the release of insulin by half, which could make all of the difference to a diabetes sufferer.

With over two million people with diabetes in the UK, something like this could be a great treatment making the patients lives a lot easier.

Source [Times]