Cassia Sericea Leaf Extract for Eco-Friendly Synthesis of Silver and Gold Nanoparticles with Boosted Wound Healing and Antimicrobial Potential

The aim of the study was to employ Cassia sericea leaf extract in the green synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to evaluate their antibacterial, anthelmintic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing properties. Fresh leaves of C. sericea were collected, and the aqueous extract was prepared. The C. sericea leaf extract was used for the green synthesis of AgNPs and AuNPs, followed by the characterization using UV-Vis, FTIR, particle size analysis, XRD, SEM, and GCMS analysis. The in vitro techniques were used to determine the biomedical potential of the AgNPs and AuNPs. The extract showed high presence of glycosides, flavonoids, and phenols. The aqueous extract exhibited highest phenolic content, i.e., 2232 mu g/g of gallic acid equivalent. The UV-Vis investigation confirmed the formation of nanoparticles. According to the particle size study, the size of AgNPs was approximately 50.4 nm, while AuNPs measured 102.2 nm. The GCMS analysis revealed the presence of around 13 compounds in the C. sericea extract. The crystalline nature of the produced silver nanoparticles was confirmed by XRD. The SEM analysis revealed the presence of nanoparticles with a diverse range of shapes. The AuNPs exhibited a predominantly spherical or cuboidal morphology, and the AgNPs displayed a tubular or rod-like structure. The FTIR spectra revealed sharp peaks corresponding to several important functional groups. The in vitro antioxidant activity of AgNPs was highest followed by AuNPs, and the aqueous leaf extract. The nanoparticles displayed significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli. The AgNPs demonstrated significant anthelmintic activity against Pheretima posthuma worms. In the case of wound healing study, the AgNPs and AuNPs showed 89.40% and 82.45% of wound closure, respectively, resulting in significant cell migration and accelerated healing. To conclude, C. sericea nanoparticles showed good antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, and antihelminthic activity. The current study is one of the first to report on C. sericea's wound healing potential. The therapeutic potential of C. sericea should be further explored in animal models to fully examine their molecular mechanisms.