Placing living Russian brown frogs in milk to keep it fresh led to a big leap in antibiotics.
Don’t cry over spoiled milk, just add frogs
This ancient practice in Russia and Finland often worked.
Frog skin’s covered with a slimy mucus that can kill many different species of bacteria and viruses.
The custom may have even given rise to inspiring frog-milk related stories.
Research at the Moscow State University showed the Russian brown frogs’ skin is loaded with peptides.
These are as good against Salmonella and Staphylococcus bacteria as prescription antibiotics.
Different frogs make different peptides, depending on where their habitat is.
No two frogs have the same cocktail.
Even people host defense peptides.
It’s easier to collect frog peptides though!
Simply give the frog a small electric shock or rub a powder on them.
And they just can’t help secreting that slime.
If you’re grossed out, think of this:
People have believed for hundreds of years that newts in a well mean that the water’s fresh and drinkable, and in all that time never asked themselves whether the newts got out to go to the lavatory.
– Terry Pratchet, Reaper Man
Frogs, swords, and foam
Since then, researchers identified over 100 potential bacteria-killing substances from 6,000 frog species.
This frog that could help destroy the flu.
Frog with the coolest-sounding peptide
This colorful fella from southern India can destroy many strains of human flu.
The peptide’s been named “urumin,” after the urumi, a sword with a blade that snaps and bends like a whip.
While mating, Tungara frogs release a protein cocktail that they beat into a foam with their back legs.
A Tungara frog in mating display, before he becomes a Kitchen Aid mixer
The tiny frogs lay their eggs in foam nests to protect them from disease, predators, and environmental stresses.
This foam could be a new, non-toxic antibiotic delivery system for humans.
Proteins on the skin of Waxy Monkey Frog could be used to treat cancer and diabetes.
The Waxy Monkey Frog is not impressed
Scientists at Queen’s University Belfast found these proteins could treat over 70 illnesses by regulating blood vessels.
Quite ribbiting.
