Growth potential of Rana tigerina skin lipids in cell cultures.

This study involves the investigation of the lipid composition of the skin of Rana tigerina which has a significant healing capacity. The results indicated that the lipid extract enhanced keratinocyte and fibroblast cell proliferation progressively and were found to be much more efficient in comparison to agents known to cause cell proliferation and to be anti-inflammatory such as hydrocortisone. Cell proliferation was dose dependent and suppression occurred only at very high doses. [3H]thymidine incorporation studies produced the same results. Because proliferation, migration, and differentiation of the basal cells is essential for initiation and progression of wound healing, any agent enhancing their proliferation would hasten the healing process. This paper therefore aims at elucidating the effect of composition of the total lipid extract confirming the efficacy of frog skin in wound healing and thereby providing an understanding of the natural mechanism of healing.