Antibacterial properties of fish mucus from Channa punctatus and Cirrhinus rigala

C. Kuppulakshmi, M. Prakash, G. Gunasekaran, G. Manimegalai, S. Sarojini

Department of Zoology, Annamalai University-Annamalainagar, Tamilnadu (India)

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• Pharmacology

Abstract. – Extracts and preparations made from the animal origin were used extensively in folk and modern medicine for treating many human diseases. In the present study efforts have been made to find the antimicrobial effect of the mucus of two bottom dwelling fresh water fishes namely, Channa punctatus and Cirrhinus mrigala. Fish mucus were tested against ten pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Lactobacillus vulgaris, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella paratyphi, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio cholera. The activity was measured in terms of zone of inhibition in mm. The mucus collected from Cirrhinus mrigala shows a strong inhibiting activity than the mucus of Channa punctatus.

Corresponding Author: M. Prakash, MD; e-mail: dnaprakash@yahoo.co.in