Aloin enhances cutaneous wound healing in Labeo rohita by orchestrating antioxidant, cytokine and proliferative responses.

This study provides the first experimental evidence that aloin promotes skin wound healing in the freshwater fish Labeo rohita. Fish were assigned to control, sham, vehicle control and aloin-treated groups, and wound repair was monitored over an 8-day period. Oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and cell proliferation were assessed through biochemical assays and immunoblotting at 1-, 4-, and 8-days post-injury. Aloin treatment reduced lipid peroxidation and enhanced antioxidant defenses (glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase, catalase, nitric oxide). It also downregulated pro-inflammatory mediators (interleukin-1β, tumour necrosis factor-α, inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2), and heat shock protein-70), apoptosis marker caspase-3, and matrix metalloproteinase-9, while upregulating proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), indicating enhanced tissue regeneration. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that aloin mitigates oxidative and inflammatory stress, stimulates cell proliferation, and accelerates wound recovery. Aloin may therefore represent a promising therapeutic strategy in aquaculture to improve healing efficiency and production outcomes.