Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using hydroalcoholic root extract of Potentilla fulgens and evaluation of its cutaneous wound healing potential

The present study focuses on the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using hydro-alcoholic root extract of Potentilla fulgens and evaluation of its wound healing properties in the rat model. The dried roots of PF were refluxed in alcohol: water mixture (70:30) for 24 h and the extract were evaporated to dryness using a rotary evaporator. For the synthesis of AgNP-PF, different concentrations of the extract (1-5 mg) were allowed to react with different concentrations of silver nitrate (1-5 mM). The completion of the reaction was noted through color change from colorless to brown and this can be further confirmed using UV-visible spectroscopy. The optimized formulation was further characterized using DLS, TEM, EDX, FTIR, and XRD. The biosynthesized AgNP-PF were loaded into a topical carbopol gel and finally investigated for wound healing potential in experimental rats. Results revealed that the ratio of different concentrations of AgNO3 to plant extract significantly affected the particle size, shape, yield and stability of the AgNP-PF. A UV-visible absorption band of 410-440 nm indicated the synthesis of AgNP-PF. TEM data with a size range of 10-20 nm showed that the AgNPPF were spherical in shape. FTIR revealed the presence of -OH group responsible for the reduction and stabilization, while XRD confirmed the crystallinity of the AgNP-PF. Topical AgNP-PF gel showed promising wound healing property with significant wound contraction in experimental rats. In conclusion, stable silver nanoparticles were successfully formulated by green synthesis and loaded efficiently for efficient wound healing.