Antibacterial Property of Skin Mucus of Mud Fish (Channa japonica) and Eel (Anguila japonica)

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Mudfishes (MF) and eel fishes (EF) are freshwater fishes that live in the pathogen-rich aquatic environment. These fishes defend itself against these pathogens by excreting mucus on its skin, which can inhibit bacterialinvasion in order to maintain its healthy state. This ability in inhibiting bacterial activity is likely the same as how antibiotics work that could aid in the development of antibacterial agents for therapeutical application. This study aimed to determine the anti-bacterial property of mucus extracts of the two freshwater fishes. Also, this study tested the null hypotheses of; there is no significant difference in terms of Zone of Inhibition between the treatments tested against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli and There is no significant difference in ZOI resulting from the varying concentration of mucus extracts.

METHODS

Using the Kirby-Bauer Culture Sensitivity Test or Disc diffusion method, disc replicates were soaked for 24 hours in different concentrations of 2.5 ml, 2.0 ml and 1.5 ml from the skin mucus of both fishes and one control Ceftriaxone (CF). These concentrations were screened against two common human pathogens, S. aureus and E. coli. The bacterial suspension was streaked on the media and three replicates of each concentration were placed on it, to get the comparison of results when measured. After which, the media were placed in the incubator maintaining 37â—¦C for 24 hours.

RESULTS

The results showeda higher average diameter of ZOI in the concentrations with the E.coli bacterial strains. EF got 14.76 mm, MF got15.33 mm while CF got 24.37 mm, in comparison with the S. aureus bacterial strains of 10.67 mm, 9.33 mm, 48.33 mm respectively. Using the statistical treatment, Two-Way Analysis of Variance with Replicates (ANOVA), with P<0.05 level of statistical significance, it has proven that there is no significant difference in terms of Zone of Inhibition between the treatments tested against S. aureus and E. coli and there is no significant difference in ZOI resulting from varying concentration of mucus extracts.

DISCUSSIONS

This study gave a wider dimension in the field of medicine that can become a new eye-opener for the experts in innovating new and effective medicine. The abilityof most fishes in inhibiting bacterial activity on its mucus is likely the same as how antibiotics works that could aid in the development of antibacterial agents for therapeutical application (K. Elavarasi et. al., 2013 p. 194-200).