Oral administration of marine collagen peptides prepared from chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) improves wound healing following cesarean section in rats

BACKGROUND: The goal of the present study was to investigate the wound-healing potential of marine collagen peptides (MCPs) from chum salmon skin administered to rats following cesarean section (CS). METHODS: Ninety-six pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: a vehicle group and three MCP groups. After CS, rats were intragastrically given MCPs at doses of 0, 0.13, 0.38, 1.15 g/kg*bw, respectively. On postoperative days 7, 14, and 21, the uterine bursting pressure, skin tensile strength, hydroxyproline (Hyp) concentrations, and histological and immunohistochemical characteristics of the scar tissue were examined. RESULTS: In the MCP groups, the skin tensile strength, uterine bursting pressure, and Hyp were significantly higher than those in the vehicle group at all three time points (p<0.05). The formation of capillary, fibroblast, and collagen fiber, the expression of platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, basic fibroblast growth factor, and transforming growth factor beta-1 were increased in the MCP groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: MCPs could accelerate the process of wounding healing in rats after CS.