L’ornitorinco australiano rappresenta una valida speranza per la cura del diabete mellito di tipo 2. L’animale, detto anche platipo, tra i più insoliti in natura, promette di offrire nuove possibilità di trattamento grazie alle proprietà terapeutiche di un ormone metabolico individuato nell'intestino e nel veleno dello sperone, di cui è armato sulle zampe posteriori.
Conosciuto come GLP-1, l'ormone è normalmente secreto nell'intestino sia umano che di animali e stimola il rilascio di insulina che abbassa il livello di glucosio nel sangue. Una forma modificata è ampiamente usata per il trattamento del diabete. Secondo il responsabile della ricerca, Frank Grutzner dell'Università di Adelaide, l'ormone del platipo sarebbe più efficace e di miglior effetto.
L’animale viene studiato anche come possibile risposta al proliferare di superbatteri resistenti agli antibiotici. Lo scorso marzo un team di scienziati australiani ha scoperto un'altra caratteristica unica: il suo latte ha una struttura chimica efficace contro i sempre più diffusi superbatteri, divenuti resistenti agli antibiotici.
ATS/ANSA/Swing
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