Axolotls can help in the fight with cancer and other serious illnesses (4 photos)

Axolotls are a type of salamander that belong to the family Ambystoma. And recently, scientists have made a discovery! It turns out that axolotls can help in the fight against cancer and other serious diseases. But how exactly can these cute little creatures help?

Axolotls are known not only for their cute appearance, but also for the fact that they can completely restore lost body parts and even individual organs - including the heart and brain.





Axolotl skin secretes special substances - antimicrobial peptides. These components of the body's innate defense protect axolotls from infections, and are now being considered as a possible replacement for conventional antibiotics.



To obtain the mucus, scientists gently massaged the animals. It turned out that the peptides from this mucus work especially well against some dangerous viruses, resistant bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, and breast cancer cells. At the same time, healthy cells are not damaged.





The experiments are currently ongoing, and scientists hope to create new drugs based on these peptides.