Studying clinical and histopathological effects of phenytoin sodium on Cutaneous wounds in the gold fish (Carassius auratus)

Cutaneous lesions of fish caused by viral, bacterial, parasitic, mechanical and chemical agents are very common normally leading to more infection severity and higher mortality. We studied the healing effects of Phenytoin Sodium on 140 fish specimens. For this reason, the fish samples disinfected by using a saline solution 3% for 14 minutes. An incision 1.5cm long and 2mm deep applied in all fish samples and then the samples divided into four groups of 35 fish specimens. We used the first group as control and treated the other three groups by three doses of Phenytoin Sodium. During the 20 days of the study, water changed as per need and added Phenytoin Sodium at a dose of 2mg/l, 5mg/l and 10mg/l. Over the 20 days of study, healing was recorded in all groups, but groups 2 and 3 showed more healing. The healing initiation was also sooner in groups 2 and 3 compared to other groups. In clinical examination of the healing effects of Phenytoin Sodium, group 3 showed depression, anorexia, increased mucous secretion and ataxia while these symptoms were absent in group 2. We concluded that a solution of 5mg/l of Phenytoin Sodium is the best for improvement of the incision healing in the gold fish.