Use of honey-derived silver nanoparticles associated with low-level laser therapy for bone defect repair in rats

Bone tissue possesses intrinsic regenerative capacity after bone defect repairs; however, delayed or compromised healing may require adjuvant therapeutic interventions. This controlled experimental study investigated the effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized via a green pathway using stingless bee honey on the repair of femoral bone defects in Wistar rats. Forty male rats were randomly allocated to control and treatment groups and subjected to standardized femoral bone defects, followed by the application of LLLT, AgNPs, or a combination of both. Histological and histomorphometric assessments were performed on days 7 and 14 post-bone defect repair to evaluate the inflammatory infiltrate and the relative areas of fibrous tissue, cartilage, and newly formed bone. The control group exhibited a pronounced inflammatory response and a predominance of immature bone callus formation, particularly on day 7. The combined AgNPs + LLLT treatment significantly attenuated the inflammatory response compared with the control group (p < 0.05), whereas the laser-only and honey-derived AgNP treatments showed intermediate inflammatory scores. Although LLLT and AgNPs applied individually produced comparable results, the combined therapy also resulted in the greatest extent of bone matrix formation on day 14. Taken together, these findings indicate that the association of LLLT with honey-derived AgNPs may enhance early bone defect repair by modulating inflammation and promoting bone matrix deposition. These findings suggest that the combined therapy may enhance early bone repair in a preclinical experimental model.