Abstract

The dermal regeneration is the process of normal wound healing. The wound healing in mammals begins with inflammatory phase which is followed by a series of phase ultimately leading to the total restoration of the skin. The wound healing process is conserved and takes time. The process of this wound healing can be enhanced by using natural compounds. Marine molluscan shell is also seen to possess this property of enhancing the process of wound healing. Marine Molluscan shells are a highly controlled bio mineralized material which is made up of two layers of calcium carbonate, comprising an outer layer of calcite and an inner layer of aragonite. Nacre the inner lustrous layer of the molluscan shell known for its mechanical properties has layers of organic and inorganic components which make it an excellent biomaterial. The marine molluscan shell and nacre comprises an organic matrix which is made up of proteins, lipids and polysaccharides. These organic matrices are of therapeutic importance and hence the shell has been used for many biomedical applications. The application of the shell, shell matrix and nacre on osteogenesis has been widely studied. Limited studies have done for the application of skin regeneration by molluscan shells. However, the potential skin therapeutic application of nacre has not been fully exploited. The current review is about the application of the shell in dermatological application.