Illegal “Frog Juice” Detected in Racehorses

Postrace testing has identified dermorphin in more than 30 racehorses in Louisiana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. Dermorphin, also known as “frog juice” is a substance found in the skin of a type of South American frog. It acts a strong painkiller and stimulant when administered to horses.

Possibly as a result of tips from track workers, officials also found dermorphin among seized materials after a racetrack search.

The substance was not being found in horses using traditional postrace tests, but a more sensitive assay has been designed that can detect the drug. Because the volume of dermorphin being used is believed to exceed the natural supply, there is some suspicion that the product is being artificially produced in the United States.