Compound Monograph
Caerulein
Caerulein (ceruletide) is a ten-amino-acid peptide first isolated from frog skin that strongly stimulates digestive secretions and gallbladder contraction.
Where Does It Come From? (2)
Caerulein is a naturally occurring amino acid peptide, found in Australian green tree frog and Phyllomedusa frog skin secretions. It is flagged as moderately toxic.
Research & Evidence
Caerulein, also called ceruletide, is a decapeptide first isolated from the skin of the Australian green tree frog and structurally related to the gut hormone cholecystokinin. It powerfully stimulates secretion from the stomach, pancreas and gallbladder and causes smooth-muscle contraction. It has been used medically as a diagnostic and therapeutic agent (for example to stimulate gallbladder contraction or aid certain procedures) and is widely used in research, including to model pancreatitis in animals.
Toxicity & Safety
Caerulein is a potent pharmacological peptide, not a casual substance. Its effects include nausea, abdominal cramping and stimulation of pancreatic secretion, and at high doses it is used precisely because it can provoke pancreatic inflammation in experimental models. It belongs to the family of bioactive amphibian skin peptides associated with kambô secretions.