Biogenic silver nanoparticles synthesized by microalgae: A comprehensive review of eco-friendly wound healing therapies

Wounds are generally caused by an injury to the skin such as a cut or a puncture. They can be considered in two groups, acute and chronic wounds. Poor wound healing can lead to multiple complications including chronic pain, irritation, unpleasant odours and infections. It is important, therefore, to assist wound healing using suitable treatments as rapidly as possible in order to reduce these complications and improve positive outcomes. Some currently available therapies used in wound care, such as gauzes, steroidal drugs, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and bioengineered cell constructions can lead to negative side effects, limiting their utilization in wound care. With recent advances, nanotechnology has been integrated into wound healing agents, providing an alternative therapeutic approach for the treatment of skin injuries. Amongst the available metal-containing nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) currently have the greatest potential to be used in wound healing applications due to their strong antimicrobial properties. However, conventional methods of nanoparticle synthesis themselves raise health and environmental concerns due to their use of toxic chemicals and production of harmful waste products.