Amphibian skin has been the source of a wide variety of biologically active compounds. This study was aimed to determine antifungal activity of skin secretion of two species of anurans endemic in Indonesia, the bleeding toad Leptophryne cruentata and the javan tree frog Rhacophorus margaritifer. We collected 7 adults of L. cruentata and 10 adults of R. margaritifer from the wild in Mount Gede Pangrango National Park, West Java. The toads and frogs were induced to release skin secretion using a nonlethal induction technique based on epinephrine injection. The collected skin secretion was filter-sterilized, freeze-dried and subjected to antifungal assay. Results showed that skin secretion of some toads and frogs has antifungal activity against the fungus Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Among the chemical compounds with potential bioactivity detected in the skin secretion include fatty acids, amines and steroids. Therefore, the toad and frog skin secretion has the potential to be developed as a source of antifungal agents.
Bacterial resistance towards antibiotics has increased morbidity, mortality and health-care costs. Therefore, it is important to search for new types of antibacterial agents. This study was aimed to test antibacterial activity of epinephrine-stimulated skin secretions derived from two species of Anura endemic in Indonesia, the bleeding toad Leptophryne cruentata and the javan tree frog Rhacophorus margaritifer. The filter-sterilized skin secretions were subjected to antibacterial assay against Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli and Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. Results showed that skin secretions of some toads and frogs have antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. We conclude that the toad and frog skin secretions have the potential to be used as a source of novel antibacterial agents. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on antibacterial activity of skin secretions of Leptophryne cruentata and Rhacophorus margaritifer from Indonesia.
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