Biomedical potential of chitosan-silver nanoparticles with special reference to antioxidant, antibacterial, hemolytic and in vivo cutaneous wound healing effects

• Published in: Biochimica et biophysica acta. General subjects Vol. 1863; no. 1; pp. 241 - 254
• Main Authors: Hajji, Sawssen, Khedir, Sameh Ben, Hamza-Mnif, Ibtissem, Hamdi, Marwa, Jedidi, Ines, Kallel, Rim, Boufi, Sami, Nasri, Moncef
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.01.2019
• Subjects: animal ovaries; antibacterial properties; antioxidant activity; Antioxidant and antibacterial activities; antioxidants; Chinese hamsters; chitosan; Chitosan-silver nanoparticles; cytotoxicity; Cytotoxicity effect; histology; nanoparticles; nanosilver; oxidative stress; polymers; stabilizers; Structural characterization; tissue repair; tissues; transmission electron microscopy; Wound-healing efficiency; Wound-healing efficiency; Cytotoxicity effect; Chitosan-silver nanoparticles; Antioxidant and antibacterial activities; Structural characterization
• ISSN: 0304-4165; 1872-8006; 1872-8006
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2018.10.010

The aim of the present study was to prepare chitosan-PVA-silver nanoparticles (CS-AgNPs) through green method. Chitosan and PVA polymers acted as stabilizing agents. DLS and TEM analyses showed that CS-AgNPs were homogeneously dispersed in matrix with an average size of 190–200 nm. The CS-AgNPs were tested for their antioxidant and antibacterial properties and the results revealed that they exhibited higher antioxidant activity than CS powder. Moreover, CS-AgNPs were characterized by a low cytotoxicity effect at 5–200 μg/ml against Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO-K1) cells. In addition, the prepared CS-Ag NPs were found to promote significantly the wound healing, as determined by the wound contraction ratio and histological examination. A significant improvement in wound healing progression and in oxidative stress damage were observed for CS, CS-PVA and CS-AgNPs-treated wound tissues, when compared to control and CICAFLORA®-treated groups. The wound healing effect could be attributed to the antibacterial and antioxidant synergy of AgNPs and CS. Results strongly support the possibility of using CS-AgNPs for wound care applications. [Display omitted] •Chitosan-silver nanoparticles exhibited strong antibacterial and in vitro antioxidant activities.•The ability of chitosan-silver nanoparticles gel to enhance the wound healing was investigated.•Chitosan, CS-PVA and CS-AgNPs gels were able to accelerate the cutaneous healing.•CS-AgNPs were demonstrated the highest efficiency to prevent the oxidative damage.•The histological micrographs revealed that CS-AgNPs enhanced the wound re-epithelialization.