Formulation and Evaluation of Cat Fish Slim Mucin Ointment for Wound Healing

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 woundhealing 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 19 th day with the mean hydroxyproline content and tensile strength being 682.07 ± 0.11 µg/g and 874.11 ± 0.39 g/cm 2 , 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/cm 2 ) and hydroxyproline (1163.11± 0.16 µg/g) was found for mucin ointment as against 1151.21 ± 0.41 g/cm 2 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.