Physalaemin
Encyclopedia
Physalaemin is a tachykinin
Tachykinin peptides
Tachykinin peptides are one of the largest family of neuropeptides, found from amphibians to mammals. They were so named due to their ability to rapidly induce contraction of gut tissue. The tachykinin family is characterized by a common C-terminal sequence, Phe-X-Gly-Leu-Met-NH2, where X is...

 peptide
Peptide
Peptides are short polymers of amino acid monomers linked by peptide bonds. They are distinguished from proteins on the basis of size, typically containing less than 50 monomer units. The shortest peptides are dipeptides, consisting of two amino acids joined by a single peptide bond...

 obtained from the Physalaemus
Physalaemus
Physalaemus is a large genus of leptodactylid frogs. These frogs are found in Central- and South America. It is very similar to Leptodactylus, a close relative, and indeed the recently-rescribed Leptodactylus lauramiriamae is in some aspects intermediate between them.-References: : Leptodactylus...

frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...

, closely related to substance P
Substance P
In the field of neuroscience, substance P is a neuropeptide: an undecapeptide that functions as a neurotransmitter and as a neuromodulator. It belongs to the tachykinin neuropeptide family. Substance P and its closely related neuropeptide neurokinin A are produced from a polyprotein precursor...

. Its structure was first elucidated in 1964.

Like all tachykinins, physalaemin is a sialagogue
Sialagogue
A herb with sialagogue action stimulates the secretion of saliva from the salivary glands.Herbs with sialagogue action include:*Bloodroot *Blue Flag *Cayenne pepper...

 (increases salivation) and a potent vasodilator with hypotensive effects.
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