Uncovering the Dual Anti-Inflammatory and Regenerative Actions of (6Z)-Octadecenoic Acid from <em>Stichopus hermanii</em>

Gingival wound healing involves tightly regulated inflammatory and regenerative re-sponses. Marine-derived (6Z)-Octadecenoic acid, isolated from Stichopus hermanii, is a promising candidate for topical wound therapy due to its dual anti-inflammatory and pro-regenerative properties. This study combined in silico molecular docking with in vivo evaluation to assess its therapeutic potential. Docking analysis revealed strong binding affinities between (6Z)-Octadecenoic acid and TNF-α, NF-κB, IL-1β, and JAK1. In vivo, gingival wounds were induced in male Wistar rats and treated topically. His-tological assessments on Days 3 and 7 showed significantly increased fibroblast density and collagen deposition in the treated group. ADME-Tox predictions indicated high absorption and no hepatotoxicity, supported by stable SGOT and SGPT levels. Statisti-cal analysis confirmed significant improvements in fibroblast proliferation and colla-genization (p &lt; 0.05), with no hepatic enzyme elevation. These findings suggest that (6Z)-Octadecenoic acid enhances early wound healing by modulating inflammation and stimulating tissue remodeling, supporting its potential use in periodontal regener-ative applications.