From an early age, fairytales were a quintessential part of everyone’s childhood with the help of interesting characters and various events, they teach us about kindness, courage, the power of friendship, and love. One of the most beloved and known fairytales is the tale about the princess and the frog, in which the frog is turned into a prince by a very powerful kiss. Even though this fairytale seems only a product of imagination, a simple bedtime story, it could hold more truth than it appears at first glance. Were there more than two kissers in question? Is this fairytale actually backed up by science?

O-methyl-bufotenine –  a potential hallucinogen

It is a widely well-known fact that certain animals evolved to secrete poisonous substances to help them survive. One such animal is the frog Bufo alvarius. This frog, when threatened, secretes poison through its parotid glands. The poison’s primary psychoactive component is O-methyl bufotenin ( 5-MeO-DMT, 5-methoxy-N, N – dimethyltryptamine). Moreover, that is a compound that belongs to the natural psychoactive indoleamine, so it is a very potent and fast-working hallucinogen. This hallucinogen is analogous to serotonin and can also be found in seeds, bark, and leaves of some plants (e.g., Virola seeds).

Bufotenine methylation – a key to its psychoactivity

Except for O-methyl bufotenine, the said frog’s poison also contains bufotenine, which is, with the help of O-methyltransferase, transformed into O-methyl bufotenine. Furthermore, it is this methylation reaction that makes the molecule more lipophilic, and hence, it is now easier for it to pass the blood-brain barrier and achieve greater psychoactive potential. The molecule can have different psychedelic effects in humans depending on the way of use. If applied orally, this compound is very quickly inactivated. Hence, it is much more common to take the substance parenterally by inhalation of a vaporized drug or smoking. The mechanism behind the psychedelic effects is that the O-methyl bufotenine acts as a 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors’ agonist, with a slightly larger affinity to 5-HT1A. Said receptors are involved in mood regulation and autonomous nerve system control that eventually leads to various symptoms like lively visual and audio hallucinations.

A kiss through the toxicology lense

If we look at the fairytale about the princess and the frog through the toxicology lense, the “magic“ that turned the prince into a frog could be the result of hallucinogenic effects of O-methyl bufotenine that came into contact with the princess’s lips. The drug could have entered the princess’s bloodstream by passing through the mucous membrane that is situated on the inner part of the lips. On the other hand, the drug is inactivated if ingested, so it probably causes a minor effect, if any. With all being said, it is important to remind oneself that this theory is only a mere speculation of the scientific background this famous fairytale could have. The fusion of the scientific world and fairytales enables us to look at the world we know from a new perspective and returns us to childhood by shining new light on well-known tales.

Translated by: Dea Radek

Literature

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5. Horák M, Mateos E, Cortina Bello A. Bufo alvarius: Literary evidence and controversies surrounding its traditional use. Medicina Naturista, 2019, 13(1), 43-49

Photography source

Image by Jürgen from Pixabay