Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
The future of burn and wound care is fishy, in a good way. New research suggests that a greater variety of fish skins can be used as wound medication than is currently assumed.
Researchers from the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines conducted the study, which aimed to test the feasibility of milkfish (Cheers cheers) skin as a basis for skin grafting. The researchers found that milkfish skin was as durable and effective at inhibiting the growth of microbes as tilapia fish skin, an emerging alternative to skin grafting. The discovery could allow milkfish to become a cost-effective and environmentally friendly option for treating serious injuries in poorer areas, say researchers.
In recent years, scientists have discovered fish skin as a skin graft material for people 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. Various fish skin graft products are currently being tested and have also been used during emergency crisis such as the California wildfires in 2023.
Now, however, the most commonly used fish in these grafts is tilapia. So researchers from the University of Manila wanted to see if the popular milkfish (known as “bangus” locally) could also be turned into a wound care treatment.
They collected fresh milkfish and tilapia skins from a local market in Metro Manila, then descaled, washed and cut them into strips. Some of the strips were treated with silver nanoparticles, a common antimicrobial, while others were left alone as controls.
Under a microscope, milkfish skins maintain the structural integrity of their collagen almost as well as tilapia. And the treated milkfish skin also appeared to inhibit bacterial and fungal growth.
“By demonstrating that milkfish skin can be effectively sterilized and used similarly to tilapia skin, this research provides innovative, effective and sustainable solutions for wound care,” the researchers wrote in their paper . published at the end of last year in BIO Web of conferences.
As milkfish is popular in places like the Philippines, its skin is typically thrown in the trash. Therefore, being able to use milkfish skin as a wound medication would help hospitals with fewer resources and also reduce environmental waste. More research needs to be done to confirm the viability of milkfish skin for grafting, but it could certainly become a vital treatment option, the researchers say.
“This discovery has the potential to transform wound care in underserved areas, improving patient outcomes in regions with limited access to advanced medical facilities,” they wrote.
Scientists elsewhere have also begun testing other fish species as the base material for skin grafts, such as cod.
