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In vitro and in vivo synergistic wound healing and anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) evaluation of liquorice-decorated silver nanoparticles

The Journal of Antibiotics (2023)Cite this article

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Abstract

The multi-drug resistant Staph. aureus strain, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is an emerging pathogen that could penetrate skin cuts and wounds, causing a life-threatening condition. The green biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles with liquorice extract has been demonstrated over several years for anticancer and antioxidant effects, as well as antibacterial effect against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The study was designed to evaluate the synergistic in vivo and in vitro wound healing and anti-MRSA activity of decorated liquorice silver nanoparticles (LD-AgNPs). The LD-AgNPs were prepared by thoroughly mixing diluted liquorice extract with AgNO3 at room temperature. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by size measurement, IR spectroscopy, TEM imaging, and X-ray diffraction. The in vitro and in vivo antibacterial and wound healing testing were also performed. The obtained LD-AgNPs were spherical in shape and had a hydrodynamic size of about 50.16 ± 5.37 nm. Moreover, they showed potent antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative resistant bacteria, produced a significantly higher level of procollagen type I compared to either liquorice extract or standard silver sulfadiazine, and promoted the wound healing process in rabbits. The formulation of silver nanoparticles with liquorice extract showed synergetic effects in enhancing the treatment of wounds, with significant antibacterial activity against E. coli and MRSA.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the institutional support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Buraydah, 51452, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Hamdoon A. Mohammed

  2. Department of Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Plants, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, 11884, Egypt

    Hamdoon A. Mohammed

  3. Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Buraydah, 51452, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Mohammed A. Amin

  4. Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, 71524, Egypt

    Mohammed A. Amin & Gamal Zayed

  5. Al-Azhar Center of Nanosciences and Applications (ACNA), Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt

    Gamal Zayed

  6. Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Delta University for Sciences and Technology, Gamasa City, Dakhlia, Egypt

    Yassar Hassan

  7. Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Al-Bayan University, Baghdad, Iraq

    Yassar Hassan

  8. Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt

    Mohamed El-Mokhtar

  9. Department of Pharmaceutics and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt

    Mohammed S. Saddik

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Correspondence to Hamdoon A. Mohammed.

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Mohammed, H.A., Amin, M.A., Zayed, G. et al. In vitro and in vivo synergistic wound healing and anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) evaluation of liquorice-decorated silver nanoparticles. J Antibiot (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41429-023-00603-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41429-023-00603-4

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