Phantasmal poison frog
Encyclopedia
A phantasmal poison frog (Epipedobates tricolor) is a species of poison dart frog
. Their natural habitat is the Andean slopes of the central Ecuadorian Bolívar province. They have radiant color, powerful poison, and yet are some of the smallest frogs around, ranging from 1 centimetre (0.393700787401575 in) to 4 centimetres (1.6 in). They can live up to 10 years in captivity.
Phantasmal poison frogs have one of the strongest toxins of frogs. Their toxicity is known to be lethal. One of commonly related organisms, the blue triden frog (Epipedobates anthonyi, is frequently mistaken for the Phantasmal poison frog.
A chemical extracted from the skin of this species has turned out to be of medicinal use. A painkiller 200-times as potent as morphine
, called epibatidine
. Secretions from dendrobatids are also showing promise as muscle relaxant
s and heart stimulant
s.
Poison dart frog
Poison dart frog is the common name of a group of frogs in the family Dendrobatidae which are native to Central and South America. These species are diurnal and often have brightly-colored bodies...
. Their natural habitat is the Andean slopes of the central Ecuadorian Bolívar province. They have radiant color, powerful poison, and yet are some of the smallest frogs around, ranging from 1 centimetre (0.393700787401575 in) to 4 centimetres (1.6 in). They can live up to 10 years in captivity.
A chemical extracted from the skin of this species has turned out to be of medicinal use. A painkiller 200-times as potent as morphine
Morphine
Morphine is a potent opiate analgesic medication and is considered to be the prototypical opioid. It was first isolated in 1804 by Friedrich Sertürner, first distributed by same in 1817, and first commercially sold by Merck in 1827, which at the time was a single small chemists' shop. It was more...
, called epibatidine
Epibatidine
Epibatidine is an alkaloid found on the skin of the endangered Ecuadorian frog, Epipedobates tricolor. These frogs, like other poison dart frogs, are best known for their ability to sequester poisons from their prey and secrete these poisons onto their backs. Many Amerindian tribes would swipe the...
. Secretions from dendrobatids are also showing promise as muscle relaxant
Muscle relaxant
A muscle relaxant is a drug which affects skeletal muscle function and decreases the muscle tone. It may be used to alleviate symptoms such as muscle spasms, pain, and hyperreflexia. The term "muscle relaxant" is used to refer to two major therapeutic groups: neuromuscular blockers and spasmolytics...
s and heart stimulant
Stimulant
Stimulants are psychoactive drugs which induce temporary improvements in either mental or physical function or both. Examples of these kinds of effects may include enhanced alertness, wakefulness, and locomotion, among others...
s.