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The future of burn and wound care looks good in a good way. New research shows that fish skins can be used as a dressing in a wider variety of ways than currently thought.
Researchers at the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines conducted a study that aimed to test the feasibility of milkfish.Chanos chanos) skin as a basis for skin grafting. Researchers have found milkfish skin to be as durable and effective at preventing microbial growth as tilapia skin, an emerging skin graft alternative. According to the researchers, the discovery could make milkfish a cost-effective, environmentally friendly option for treating serious wounds in poorer areas.
In recent years, scientists have explored fish skin as a skin graft material for humans and animals. Compared to other animal skin grafts, fish skin it is more resistant to potential viral contamination and may be better at speeding up wound healing. Several fish skin graft products are currently being tested and have even been used during this time emergency crises Like the California wildfires in 2023.
Currently, this is the most commonly used fish in grafts tilapia. So the Ateneo de Manila researchers wanted to see if the popular milkfish (locally known as “bangus”) could be turned into a wound care treatment.
They collected fresh milkfish and tilapia skins from a local market in Metro Manila, then descaled them, washed them and cut them into strips. Some of the strips were treated with silver nanoparticles, a common antimicrobial, while others were left alone as a control.
Under the microscope, the skins of milkfish retained the structural integrity of collagen nearly as well as tilapia. Treated milkfish skin also inhibits bacterial and fungal growth.
“By demonstrating that milkfish skin can be effectively sterilized and used similarly to tilapia skin, this research provides innovative, cost-effective and sustainable wound healing solutions,” the researchers said in their paper. has been published late last year BIO Web of Conferences.
As popular as milkfish is in places like the Philippines, the skin is usually thrown in the trash. Thus, using milkfish skin as a wound dressing will both help hospitals with fewer resources and reduce environmental waste. More research is needed to confirm the viability of milkfish skin for transplants, but it could certainly become a viable treatment option, the researchers say.
“This finding has the potential to transform wound care in underserved areas, improving patient outcomes in regions with limited access to advanced medical facilities,” they said.
Scientists elsewhere have begun experimenting with other fish species as a base material for skin grafts. cod.
