Green synthesis of AgNPs, characterization as an effective wound healing agent in the wound care after anorectal surgery

Abstract

Thuja occidentalis is well-known for its ability to treat skin disorders. Although the plant extract of T. occidentalis has been shown to possess promising activity on skin infection, there is no report on T. occidentalis-based nanoparticles for wound-healing therapy. Therefore, the present study was conducted to synthesize nanoparticles from T. occidentalis in a simple, facile and green method and to assess the ability of formulated nanoparticles in wound care management. The characterization of fabricated AgNPs revealed the particle size range of 40–80 nm, The UV-vis absorption peak at 443 nm and a zeta potential value of −24 mV, confirmed the development of stabilized AgNPs. In vitro cytotoxicity analysis carried out on MCF-7 and Vero cells through MTT assay revealed the cytotoxic effect in cancer cells. LD50 greater than 3000 mg kg−1 unveiled the less-toxic nature of fabricated nanoparticles. Furthermore, the phytosynthesized AgNPs were assessed for the wound healing property based on the size of lesions calculated form patients endured surgery (those who surpassed anorectal surgery). The injury site was found to be completely healed on 17th day on the AgNPs treated cases. The findings suggest that T. occidentalis-based AgNPs could be a better wound dressing material for chronic wounds. On the other hand, the obtained nanoparticles were found to be safe, efficient, non-toxic and eco-friendlier. However, this study is limited to the molecular mechanisms.