Post by glasgowalliance on Jan 17, 2005 20:35:45 GMT
SCIENTISTS in Glasgow may have found a new way to save the lives of burns victims - by using a foam made by frogs.
The Mud Puddle Frog, which lives in Trinidad, produces a protective foam that stops frogspawn drying out and kills bacteria living in the dirty water where it lays its eggs.
Experts at Glasgow University believe it could be used to treat people with serious burns.
In cases where a large area of skin is lost through burns, dehydration can lead to death.
As a result, preventing wounds from drying out could save lives as well as accelerate healing.
The foam was discovered by Professor Malcolm Kennedy while supervising zoology students on a field trip.
He mentioned it to colleagues when he returned. They contacted officials in Trinidad and gathered samples, which would not have survived, from nests.
Scientists studied the foam and a group, led by Professor Alan Cooper of Glasgow University, published the group's findings in the Biophysical Journal.
They found the foam prevents infection and is very light and flexible, leading to hopes that a version manufactured in a lab could be a life-saving treatment.
Prof Cooper said: "We wanted to know how the foam works. It has antibacterial properties, prevents eggs drying out and is very light.
"We identified the proteins responsible for some of its properties and know we can produce them in the lab. That could lead to commercial applications."
The foam could also be used to help clear up oil slicks or make a natural hand cream that is kind to the skin.
Chemical detergents - often used to make foam or break up oil - are poisonous to animals and can kill healthy cells but the new proteins can do the job without damage.
Prof Cooper admitted he had even, "hesitantly", tasted the foam.
He added: "It doesn't smell bad and doesn't even taste bad - slightly fishy but not bad.
"It seems to protect the frog spawn from predators except one species of fly."
He added: "I get quite frustrated with some of my colleagues who seem a bit more blinkered.
"Curiosity - noticing something, wondering how it works then finding an application for it - is the way many discoveries in science have been made."
The team is now studying the physical structure of proteins in the foam and are looking at similar frogs in Malaysia and other rain forests.
They will then be able to patent their work and pass it on to a drugs company or possibly a new company set up by the university to develop treatments.
The Mud Puddle Frog, which lives in Trinidad, produces a protective foam that stops frogspawn drying out and kills bacteria living in the dirty water where it lays its eggs.
Experts at Glasgow University believe it could be used to treat people with serious burns.
In cases where a large area of skin is lost through burns, dehydration can lead to death.
As a result, preventing wounds from drying out could save lives as well as accelerate healing.
The foam was discovered by Professor Malcolm Kennedy while supervising zoology students on a field trip.
He mentioned it to colleagues when he returned. They contacted officials in Trinidad and gathered samples, which would not have survived, from nests.
Scientists studied the foam and a group, led by Professor Alan Cooper of Glasgow University, published the group's findings in the Biophysical Journal.
They found the foam prevents infection and is very light and flexible, leading to hopes that a version manufactured in a lab could be a life-saving treatment.
Prof Cooper said: "We wanted to know how the foam works. It has antibacterial properties, prevents eggs drying out and is very light.
"We identified the proteins responsible for some of its properties and know we can produce them in the lab. That could lead to commercial applications."
The foam could also be used to help clear up oil slicks or make a natural hand cream that is kind to the skin.
Chemical detergents - often used to make foam or break up oil - are poisonous to animals and can kill healthy cells but the new proteins can do the job without damage.
Prof Cooper admitted he had even, "hesitantly", tasted the foam.
He added: "It doesn't smell bad and doesn't even taste bad - slightly fishy but not bad.
"It seems to protect the frog spawn from predators except one species of fly."
He added: "I get quite frustrated with some of my colleagues who seem a bit more blinkered.
"Curiosity - noticing something, wondering how it works then finding an application for it - is the way many discoveries in science have been made."
The team is now studying the physical structure of proteins in the foam and are looking at similar frogs in Malaysia and other rain forests.
They will then be able to patent their work and pass it on to a drugs company or possibly a new company set up by the university to develop treatments.
