Fish Skin for Dressing Wounds??

When you suffer a cut or a scrape, you may reach for a band-aid, maybe some witch hazel and some aloe vera, but a tilapia skin? It may sound strange, but a new study presented by the American Chemical Society has found that fish skin holds promise when it comes to wound healing.

During the study, which was performed on rats, researchers applied nanofibers made from tilapia collagen to skin wounds, and observed healing times. They found that rats who had wounds treated with the nanofibers healed faster than rats whose wounds were not treated.

Additionally – and importantly – it was found that the rats that were treated with tilapia nanofibers did not develop an immune system reaction. The researchers explain that collagen (a protein found in muscle) has long been looked at for its potential to heal wounds, but that collagen from some mammals may set off an immune reaction due to the presence of certain pathogens.

The tilapia skin, researchers say, shows a lot of promise, and will likely be further studied as to clinical applications. Sounds like if the skin is kept in its natural form and not modified too heavily, it could provide a better alternative to a lot of other chemical creams and ointments currently used in clinical settings to treat wounds.

The study authors concluded, “the collagen nanofibers stimulated the skin regeneration rapidly and effectively in vivo. These biological effects could be explained as the contributions from the biomimic extracellular cell matrix structure, hydrophilicity, and the multiple amino acids of the collagen nanofibers.”

Speaking of collagen, did you know that consuming it from natural sources, such as organic bone broth, can help to heal you from the inside out? The gelatin and collagen found in bone broth have been linked to many benefits, including balancing hormones, promoting better sleep, supporting joint health, soothing digestion and improving the elasticity of the skin.

Back to wounds for a minute, while fish skin may be interesting, it is likely that clinical applications of this will be chemically treated. However, there is wound-healing superstar that’s been around all along: Manuka honey.

Check out our article as to why obtaining a jar of this liquid gold may be your best answer to wound healing – and how it definitely belongs in your medicine cabinet.

-The Alternative Daily

Sources:
http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/presspacs/2015/acs-presspac-february-11-2015/making-a-better-wound-dressing-with-fish-skin.html
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/am507990m
https://www.thealternativedaily.com/key-ingredient-gelatin-can-help-improve-sagging-skin
https://www.thealternativedaily.com/manuka-honey-200x-germ-fighting-capabilities-honey