Colorado River Frog. American scientists have confirmed that frog poison can treat depression and anxiety./Wikimedia
Even poison can become medicine if used well. Researchers at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, USA, on the 8th (local time) published the results of a study showing that the hallucinogenic ingredients in the venom of the Colorado River frog help treat depression and anxiety.
The Colorado River frog (Incilius alvarius), which lives in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States, secretes compounds based on dimethyltryptamine (DMT) from glands in its eyes and back. DMT is similar in structure and function to psilocybin, the main ingredient in hallucinogenic mushrooms, and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), a drug.
Researchers noted that LSD and psilocybin cause hallucinations while relieving symptoms of anxiety and depression. Both LSD and psilocybin interact with the receptors for serotonin, known as the ‘hormone of happiness’. The researchers believed that DMT, which has a similar structure, could also be used as a treatment for depression and anxiety.
The researchers first modified the compound DMT released by frogs to block the hallucinogenic effects. When the modified compound was given to mice showing signs of stress and depression, their appetites increased and they spent more time with their friends. Anxiety and depression decreased. The researchers interpreted that toad venom ingredients act on serotonin receptors to reset the brain’s neural circuits.
Audrey Warren, a researcher at Mount Sinai Hospital, said, “Since rats and humans have similar brain receptors, we may be able to design new antidepressants for humans based on this study.” He also added, “Before developing a drug, we should avoid licking frogs or using poison “You have to be careful,” he said. The DMT in toad venom can cause hallucinations, vomiting and seizures, which can lead to death in severe cases.
In fact, the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifies DMT as a Schedule 1 drug, the most addictive drug. The US National Park Service (NPS) even posted an unusual warning on social media in 2022 saying, “Don’t lick frogs,” as people targeted the hallucinogenic properties of the poison secreted by frogs in the Colorado River.
The results of the research were published on the 8th (local time) in the international academic journal ‘Nature’.
reference material
Nature (2024), DOI:
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