Dietary vitamin C supplementation accelerates the evolution of the healing process in Piaractus mesopotamicus Holmberg, 1887

Abstract

In this assay, the healing process evolution in juvenile "pacu†Piaractus mesopotamicus Holmberg,1887 (Osteichthyes: Characidae), fed with 0, 100, 200 and 500 mg of ascorbic acid (vitamin C)/kg of ration, was comparatively studied. Rectangular cutaneous hurts (15 mm x 10 mm x 0.25 mm) were done in fish epidermis and derm, and the healing process evolution was studied 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days after. The results indicate that the morphological characteristics were different among the treatments, because the ascorbic acid promoted the acceleration of the healing process, through the increasing of the proliferation of mucosal cells, collagen accumulation, tissue remodelation, and scare formation, with a consequently proportional reduction of the wounded area.