Though the word debridement seems to be new, I bet you all know the meaning of it. Everyone is aware of the ad a girl or boy playing in the front yard and fall down in the process uttering shrills. Immediately the wound is wiped off with antiseptic (mostly) to remove the grass strands as a process of cleaning. This process is known as Debriding and the agents used are known as Debriding agents. Debriding is the process of cleaning the wound to remove dead tissues and foreign particles thus minimizing the attack of bacteria or any other microorganism. Well this is a physical means of debriding. Now a days proteolytic enzymes made their way as debriding agents. Long ago, proteases in maggot's saliva were applied in cleaning the wounds later these were available in the form of creams or impregnated into special bandages. Examples include: Papain, Collagenase, Trypsin TRYPSIN- Trypsin is synthesized by mammalian pancreases in an inactive form trypsinogen. In the small intestine it is converted into Trypsin using enteropeptidase enzymes. PAPAIN- It is a cystein protease enzyme derived from latex of immature fruits and leaves of Carica papaya. It is also used as meat tenderizing agent and clarification of beverages apart from Debriding agents. COLLAGENASE- It is a Collagen utilizing substrate. This enzyme is produced by certain species of Clostridium. The fermentation supernatant is collected and applied as debriding agent, skin ulcers and burns. Certain proteolytic enzymes derived from bacteria eg. Bacillus species are also used as debriding agents. These are applied several times daily on the wound surface. THIS BLOG IS FREE OF PLAGIARISM. Ref: Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Concepts and Applications by Gary Walsh, Wiley Publications, 2007 edition, Page no: 364.