Antifungal Activity of Skin Secretion of Bleeding Toad Leptophryne Cruentata and Javan Tree Frog Rhacophorus Margaritifer

Abstract

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.