Antibacterial Mechanism of Shikonin Against Vibrio vulnificusand Its Healing Potential on Infected Mice with Full-Thickness Excised Skin

Shikonin has anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing activities. Vibrio vulnificusis an important marine foodborne pathogen with a high fatality rate and rapid pathogenesis that can infect humans through ingestion and wounds. In this study, the antibacterial activity and possible antibacterial mechanism of shikonin against V. vulnificuswere investigated. In addition, the ability of shikonin to control V. vulnificusinfection in both pathways was assessed by artificially contaminated oysters and full-thickness excised skin-infected mice. Shikonin treatment can cause abnormal cell membrane function, as evidenced by hyperpolarization of the cell membrane, significant decreased intracellular ATP concentration (p< 0.05), significant increased intracellular reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde content (p< 0.05), decreased cell membrane integrity, and changes in cell morphology. Shikonin at 40 and 80 μg/mL reduced bacterial numbers in shikonin-contaminated oysters by 3.58 and 2.18 log colony-forming unit (CFU)/mL. Shikonin can promote wound healing in mice infected with V. vulnificusby promoting the formation of granulation tissue, hair follicles, and sebaceous glands, promoting epithelial cell regeneration and epidermal growth factor production. These findings suggest that shikonin has a strong inactivation effect on V. vulnificusand can be used in food production and wound healing to effectively control V. vulnificusand reduce the number of diseases associated with it.