Title: The Potential of a Certain Fish's Skin in Revolutionizing Burn Treatments
The future of burn and wound care might just include a dip in the sea, thanks to some intriguing research. It turns out that various types of fish skin, particularly milkfish, could be utilized more extensively than previously believed as wound dressings.
Leading this exploration is a team from Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines. Their aim was to examine the feasibility of milkfish skin as a foundation for skin grafts. Conducting tests, they discovered that milkfish skin boasts similar durability and efficacy in hindering microbe growth as our current go-to, tilapia fish skin. This revelation could pave the way for milkfish to emerge as an affordable and environmentally friendly option for treating severe wounds, they suggested.
Over the past couple of years, scientists have ventured into the realm of fish skin as a skin graft material for both humans and animals. Compared to other animal skins, fish skin exhibits remarkable resistance to potential viral contamination and might even facilitate faster wound healing. A handful of fish skin graft products are currently undergoing testing, even making appearances during emergencies like the California wildfires in 2023.
However, the star of the show in these grafts has been none other than tilapia. The researchers at Ateneo de Manila University wondered if the beloved milkfish, or "bangus" as it's known locally, could join the fray.
To put milkfish skin to the test, the researchers sourced fresh samples from a local market in Metro Manila. After descaling, rinsing, and chopping the samples into strips, a portion was treated with silver nanoparticles, a common antimicrobial.
Upon microscopic examination, milkfish skins proved to maintain nearly the same structural integrity of their collagen as their tilapia counterparts. And the treated milkfish skins also showed promising signs of inhibiting bacterial and fungal growth.
Wrapping up their research, the team declared, "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." Their findings were published in BIO Web of Conferences towards the end of last year.
Milkfish is not only popular but also plentiful in the Philippines, making its skin an economically viable choice. Should further research confirm its viability for grafts, milkfish skin could prove to be a game-changer, particularly in regions with limited medical resources.
Scientists worldwide have also begun to explore the potential of other fish species as foundation materials for skin grafts, like cod.
References:[1, 3] Yao, J., Huang, E., & Zhu, X. (2021). Fish Skin as a Novel Nanocomposite Material: Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications. Advanced Functional Materials, 31(51), 2104931. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202104931
The discovery of milkfish skin's similar durability and antibacterial properties to tilapia skin in wound dressings could revolutionize the field of science and contribute significantly to health, especially for regions with limited medical resources. Engaging in extensive research, scientists are now exploring the potential of various fish species, including cod, to utilize their skins as affordable and eco-friendly alternatives for skin grafts, significantly impacting the future of technology in medicine.
