Executive Summary : | Fish are usually cultured in enclosed spaces such as ponds or net cages, and efforts have been made to increase productivity per unit space by increasing the rearing density. Due to this practice, a number of associated stressors like overcrowding, transport, handling, grading, and poor water quality tend to adversely affect the health of cultured fish. Under such stressful conditions, skin wounds are nevertheless a common manifestation, which poses a major problem in the aquaculture industry, causing heavy financial loss to farmers. To prevent financial loss, fish farmers must take sufficient preventive measures. A number of approaches have been made to control skin wounds using several groups of drugs and chemotherapeutics that ultimately result in the development of drug-resistant pathogens, environmental pollution, and the accumulation of residues in fish. Therefore, application of herbal products seems to be the most promising method for the healing of cutaneous wounds in teleosts. The proposed study, therefore, would be undertaken to elucidate the effect of herbal products (e.g. aloin, curcumin, or asiaticosides) on the healing of skin wounds in an Indian major carp (L. rohita, C. mrigala or C. catla). In the proposed study, we aim to investigate the pattern of wound healing using light and electron microscopy, the localization and expression of various markers associated with cell proliferation (e.g. PCNA) and cell death (e.g. CASPASE 3), and the activity of the different metabolic and antioxidant enzymes and their roles at different post-wounding intervals. Gene expression profiles will also be used to evaluate the expression patterns of several inflammatory (e.g. TNF-a, IFN-, IL-1, IL-12, etc.) and oxidative stress-sensitive molecules (e.g. sod, cat, gpx, etc.) and their roles in regulating inflammation and oxidative stress during the healing progression in an Indian major carp. To accomplish the proposed objectives, a combination of molecular approaches, including immunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR, western blot, and TUNEL assay, etc. will be used. This study could open new avenues in therapeutics for wound healing by the application of herbal products. In addition, this study could provide useful guidelines to fish farmers to prevent fish mortality to a great extent due to injury and determine its future prospects in aquaculture. The cutaneous integrity of fish is of the utmost importance for their survival. Application of herbal products can stimulate tissue repair processes and may help in achieving rapid and complete healing of wounds in fish. This study will further facilitate the scientific investigation of herbal products and the eventual integration of suitable ones into the aquaculture system. |