Development of collagen-based hydrogel derived from allicin-silver nanoparticles for wound healing

Wounds with extensive tissue damage are highly susceptible for microbial infections delaying the process of wound healing. Currently, biomaterials with therapeutic molecules emerged as key players in wound repairing. This work developed a novel collagen-based hydrogel loaded with allicin and silver nanoparticles. The allicin is extracted from Allium sativum. The hydrogel demonstrated wound healing efficacy by achieving full closure within 72 h in an in vitro scratch wound assay on Vero cells. The antimicrobial activity of the hydrogel was confirmed against Gram-positive bacteria with zone of inhibition values of 14 mm for Staphylococcus aureus at a concentration of 1000 μg/ml. Cytotoxicity studies on Vero cells, reported significantly low cytotoxicity with 98.11% at a concentration of 7.8 μg/ml indicating its biocompatibility. Zeta potential measurement revealed good stability of the silver nanoparticles with a value of - 27.8 mV. The swelling degree of the hydrogel reached up to 6.11 indicating its capacity to maintain moisture while wound repairing. Altogether, these findings suggests that this biomaterial may represent a promising replacement to wound repairing treatments. Future research focusing in vivo studies could lay a pathway for clinical applications in regenerative medicine.