Green synthesis of propolis mediated silver nanoparticles with antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory properties and their burn wound healing efficacy in animal model

Developing an efficient and cost-effective wound-healing substance to treat wounds and regenerate skin is desperately needed in the current world. The present study evaluated in vivo wound healing and in vitro antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory activities of propolis mediated silver nanoparticles. Extract of Bee propolis from northeast Punjab, Pakistan, has been prepared via maceration and subjected to chemical identification. The results revealed that it is rich in phenolic contents (88 +/- 0.004 mg GAE ml-1, 34 +/- 0.1875 mg QE ml-1) hence, employed as a reducer and capping agent to afford silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by green approach. The prepared nanoparticles have been characterized by UV-visible (UV-vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD). The propolis mediated AgNPs possess cubic face center with spherical shape and measured 50-60 nm in size. Moreover, propolis mediated silver nanoparticles have been studied for various biological activities. The results showed excellent antioxidant (0.4696 mu g ml-1), anti-inflammatory (0.3996 mu g ml-1) and antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus (MIC 0.462 mu g ml-1) and Proteus mirabilis (MIC 0.659 mu g ml-1) bacterium. An ointment was prepared by mixing AgNPs with polymeric gels for burn wound treatment in rabbits. We found rapid wound healing and higher collagen deposition in AgNPs treated wounds than in control group. Our data suggest that AgNPs from propolis ameliorate excision wounds, and hence, these AgNPs could be potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of burns.