MA
Momoh1*, SA Brown,2 and CC
Muogbo1
1Drug Delivery Unit, Department
of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 2Faculty of
Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Port Harcourt,
Nigeria
Purpose:
To
evaluate the effect of fish mucin ointment on wound
healing in a rat model.
Methods: Fish mucin was formulated into an
ointment using soft paraffin ointment base. Its
wound-healing activity and toxicity were evaluated using
an incision and excision wound model in rats. A range of
concentrations (2.5 - 10 % w/w) of mucin in the ointment
was tested to determine the concentration that will give
optimum wound healing activity The ointment base (i.e.,
without mucin) was used as control while 2 %
nitrofurazone served as positive control.
Results: Wound healing activity increased
with increase in mucin concentration up to a maximum of
5 %. Negative control produced wound healing of 41.2 ±
0.0 % on the 19th day with the mean
hydroxyproline content and tensile strength being 682.07
± 0.11 µg/g and 874.11 ± 0.39 g/cm2,
respectively. Mucin ointment (5 %) exhibited 100 % wound
healing properties on day 12. Significant increase (p >
0.05) in skin tensile strength (1311.02 ± 0.16 g/cm2)
and hydroxyproline (1163.11± 0.16 µg/g) was found for
mucin ointment as against 1151.21 ± 0.41 g/cm2
and 875.12 ± 0.84 µg/g, respectively, for positive
control. At the concentrations tested, no
toxicity was recorded for mucin ointment.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the
fish mucin ointment promotes wound-healing.
\Keywords: Fish mucin, Ointment, Wound, biomaterial.
