IDENTIFICATION OF DERMORPHIN AND HYP6‐DERMORPHIN IN SKIN EXTRACTS OF THE BRAZILIAN FROG PHYLLOMEDUSA RHODEI

Methanol extracts of the skin of the Brazilian frog Phyllomedusa rhodei contain approximately equal amounts of dermorphin and its analogue Hyp6-dermorphin, two opiate-like heptapeptides. A unique feature of their sequence is the presence of a D-amino acid residue at position 2. Hyp6-dermorphin possesses a spectrum of central and peripheral bioactivity very similar to that of dermorphin.