IN-VITRO TISSUE-DIGESTING PROPERTIES OF KRILL ENZYMES COMPARED WITH FIBRINOLYSIN DNASE, PAPAIN AND PLACEBO/

Wound debridement, the removal of necrotic tissue, can be achieved wit h proteolytic enzymes. Recently, a new multi-enzyme preparation, krill enzyme, isolated from Antarctic shrimp-like organisms (Euphausia supe rba), was reported to possess powerful proteolytic activity towards pr otein substrates. In this paper, we study the in vitro digestive prope rties of krill enzymes towards whole tissue, compared with placebo, pa pain, and fibrinolysin/DNAse. Freshly obtained skin specimens were exp osed for 3 days to krill enzymes (3; 0.6 and 0.06 U/ml), papain (120; 60; 6 and 0.6 U/ml), fibrinolysin/DNAse (2.5/1500 E and 1/600 E), and phosphate-buffered saline control solution. Tissue digestion was estim ated by measuring wet Wt, dry wt, and histological examination. After 72 hr of exposure to 3 U/ml krill enzymes, the dry wt of the specimens was reduced to 2.7% +/- 1.9 (SEM, n = 5), compared with 31.0% +/- 2.7 for placebo, 25.7% +/- 2.5 for 120 U/ml papain, and 24.5% +/- 3.3 for 2.5/1500 E/ml fibrinolysin/DNAse. The differences between krill enzym es and fibrinolysin/DNAse, papain, and control solution were statistic ally significant (p < 0.007). These data suggest that krill enzymes ar e more active than other commonly available proteolytic agents used fo r wound debridement. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.