A component of the skin mucus secreted by a frog species found in India can be harnessed to kill influenza viruses, new research has found.
The researchers found that when delivered intranasally, one of the antiviral peptides found in skin secretions from the Indian frog Hydrophylax bahuvistara can kill H1 variety of influenza viruses that can affect humans. Frogs’ skins were known to secrete ‘host defense peptides’ that defend them against bacteria.
The new finding, published in the journal Immunity, suggests that the peptides represent a resource for antiviral drug discovery as well.