Frogs and toads could hold a secret to helping fight cancer and up to 70 other diseases, including stroke, diabetes and arthritis, according to a new study reported by the Daily Mail.
Researchers at Queen’s University in Belfast came across the discovery by accident when studying the skin secretions of the Waxy Monkey Frog from South America and the Giant Fire-bellied Toad from China and Vietnam.
They found that the secretions contained a protein that could be used to slow or speed up the growth of blood vessels, making it a potential treatment for various diseases and conditions.
By inhibiting the growth of blood vessels, the researchers hypothesize that the proteins could be used to stop the spread of cancerous tumors, which rely on blood vessels to help them grow past a certain size.
"Stopping the blood vessels from growing will make the tumor less likely to spread and may eventually kill it," said lead researcher Chris Shaw.
Using the protein to speed up the growth of blood vessels, on the other hand, "has the potential to treat conditions that require blood vessels to repair quickly, such as wound healing, organ transplants, diabetic ulcers and damage caused by strokes or heart conditions," added Shaw.