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研究人員發現，產於南美洲的「奇異多指節蟾」（paradoxical frog，又名「萎縮蛙」），皮膚分泌物所含的一種成分可用來治療第二型糖尿病。日前舉行的英國糖尿病年會上，北愛爾蘭厄斯特大學和阿拉伯聯合大公國大學的科學家表示，他們從奇異多指節蟾的皮膚分泌物，分離出一種名為pseudin-2的成分，這種成分能刺激胰島素分泌。
科學家說，pseudin-2的合成版本可用來製作治療第二型糖尿病的新藥。第二型糖尿病多與體重超重有關，發病原因是身體無法製造足夠的胰島素，或製造的胰島素不能適當運作。
胰島素不足或運作異常，人體便不能調節血糖含量，維持在正常水準，導致糖尿病發生。
奇異多指節蟾在蝌蚪時期，身長可達廿七公分，成年後卻倒縮至四公分左右，所以又稱為「萎縮蛙」。牠的皮膚會分泌pseudin-2，保護免於受到傳染病感染。科學家利用得自奇異多指節蟾的pseudin-2進行實驗，發現它能刺激胰腺細胞分泌胰島素，且未令這些胰細胞出現中毒反應。
領導這項研究的厄斯特大學生物醫學資深講師雅瑟．阿布德爾指出，醫學界對兩棲類動物皮膚分泌物中的生物活性分子已做了許多研究，醫學界在尋找治療糖尿病的天然藥物方面已取得相當成績。
最近開發出的第二型糖尿病用藥exenatide（商品名Byetta）便是利用產於美國西南部和墨西哥北部的希拉毒蜥（Gila Monster）唾液中的一種荷爾蒙開發出來。
==Reference==
2008.3.4 中時電子報
==延伸閱讀＝＝
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudis_paradoxa
Frog skin diabetes treatment hope
The paradoxical frog is native to South America
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.
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.
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.
They found it stimulated the secretion of insulin in pancreatic cells in the laboratory.
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.
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.
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.
"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.
"Good diabetes control reduces the risk of complications including blindness, heart disease, kidney problems and amputation so new treatments are vital."
==Reference==
2008.3.3 BBC NEWS
2008.3.3 BBC NEWS
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