Green Synthesis of Euphorbia tirucalli-Mediated Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Against Wound Pathogens

Background Wound infections caused by pathogens present a considerable global health challenge, resulting in extended healing durations, elevated healthcare expenses, and potential fatalities. Conventional approaches to managing wound pathogens have limitations such as antibiotic resistance, toxicity and allergic reactions. Consequently, there is a rising interest in exploring alternative strategies for preventing and treating wound infections. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂NPs) have gained attention for their potential in wound healing, attributed to their distinctive properties, including antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory capabilities. Methods TiO₂NPs synthesized through Euphorbia tirucalli were examined for their antibacterial potential against wound pathogens, using the Kirby-Bauer agar-well diffusion method and time-kill curve assay. Furthermore, the cytotoxic effect of the synthesized nanoparticles was evaluated through a brine shrimp lethality assay. Results Green-synthesized TiO2NPs demonstrated potent antimicrobial activity against tested wound pathogens, displaying a zone of inhibition against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11 mm) and Escherichia coli (10 mm) at the highest concentration of 100 μg/mL. In the time-kill curve assay, the prepared TiO₂NPs showed significant bactericidal activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa followed by Escherichia coli. In the brine shrimp lethality assay, at the lowest concentration of 5 μg/mL of the prepared nanoparticles, 100% of the nauplii remained alive after 48 hours. Conclusion The results indicate that TiO₂NPs synthesized using Euphorbia tirucalli extract exhibit potent antimicrobial activity against the tested wound pathogens. Moreover, the prepared nanoparticles exhibit lower toxicity, suggesting their potential use as an alternative to commercially available synthetic drugs.