Uses for Poison Arrow Frog Toxins

Poison arrow frogs, also known as poison dart frogs, are some of the most colorful frogs in nature. Their colors range from blue to red mixed with black, and these colors warn predators that the frogs are dangerous. They live in the rain forests of Central and South America. Some species of poison arrow frogs secrete a poisonous toxin that has the ability to paralyze and kill predators. These toxins can be used by humans for hunting and medicinal purposes.

  1. Hunting

    • South American tribes in Colombia use the toxins from poison arrow frogs to aide them in hunting. The poison is retrieved from the frog by piercing it with a stick and holding the frog over a fire. The heat from the fire forces the toxins to seep through the skin, and the droplets of poison are collected in a jar. Arrows or blow dart tips are dipped in the poison and used in hunting to help paralyze the prey. This is where the names poison arrow and poison dart frog originated.

    Painkillers

    • Poison arrow frog toxins are being used in the search for new painkillers. Dendrobatid and epidatidine are two of the major toxins being collected and researched. In 1974, dendrobatid was used by John Daly of the National Institute of Health to study the effects of using the toxin as a painkiller on mice. The toxin proved to be 200 times stronger than morphine, and it was not addictive. Epidatidine has been found to have 120 times the pain killing ability of nicotine. By the mid-1990's, ABT-594, a synthetic version of epidatidine, was created by Abbott Labs. ABT-594 is nontoxic and makes the person taking it alert and not sleepy like opiates.

    Muscular and Nuerological Disorders

    • Scientists in the Department of Herpetology at the American Museum of Natural History have been studying the alkaloids in poison arrow frog toxins. They have studied over 300 alkaloids, and they discovered that these alkaloids have a significant effect on nerves and muscles. They are using these findings to help them find a cure for neurological and muscular disorders.These toxins that are used to kill and paralyze in the wild could save a human life.

    Preservation

    • The habitat of poison arrow frogs is disappearing because the trees and the land can be used for profit. These frogs are only able to survive in small geographic areas, and they are in danger of becoming extinct. Because of this, poison arrow frogs are protected by CITES (Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species), which makes it difficult to collect and export the frogs. Poison arrow frogs captured from the wild retain their toxins, but frogs bred in captivity are not fed poisonous insects and do not produce toxins. It is important to preserve the natural habitat of the poison arrow frog so that they continue to thrive and reproduce, and scientists can continue to study the alkaloids from their toxins.