Frog nest foams exhibit pharmaceutical foam-like properties

Foams have frequently been used as systems for the delivery of cosmetic and therapeutic molecules; however, there is high variability in the foamability and long-term stability of synthetic foams. The development of pharmaceutical foams that exhibit desirable foaming properties, delivering appropriate amounts of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and that have excellent biocompatibility is of great interest. The production of stable foams is rare in the natural world; however, certain species of frogs have adopted foam production as a means of providing a protective environment for their eggs and larvae from a predators and parasites, to prevent desiccation, to control gaseous exchange, temperature extremes, and to reduce UV damage. These foams show great stability (up to 10 days in tropical environments) and are highly biocompatible due to the sensitive nature of amphibian skin. This work demonstrates for the first time, that nests of the Túngara frog (Engystomops pustulosus) i...

泡沫常被用作化妆品与治疗分子的递送系统；然而，合成泡沫的发泡性与长期稳定性存在显著差异。开发具有理想发泡性能、可递送适量活性药物成分（API）且生物相容性优异的药用泡沫是当前研究的重点方向。自然界中稳定泡沫的生成较为罕见；但部分蛙类已演化出发泡机制，以此为其卵与幼体构建保护环境，抵御捕食者与寄生虫侵袭，防止干燥脱水，调控气体交换与极端温度，并降低紫外线损伤。这类泡沫稳定性出色（在热带环境下可维持10天），且因两栖动物皮肤的敏感性而具备高度生物相容性。本研究首次证实，Túngara蛙（Engystomops pustulosus）的巢...