An overview of the healing potential of silver nanoparticles in the treatment of diabetic wounds

Silver is a metal known for its antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, and when reduced to the nanoparticle scale, there is an increase in its surface area, which enhances these properties. As a result, silver nanoparticles have been widely studied and used in wound treatment, especially in cases of chronic infections and infected wounds, such as those found in people with diabetes. The purpose of this study was to provide an updated overview of the potential of silver nanoparticles and their applications in diabetic wound treatment. A search was conducted in the PubMed Database, ranging over the last five years, using the descriptors and Boolean markers: silver nanoparticles AND wound healing AND diabetes. The search resulted in 54 articles, of which 14 were selected to compose this review according to the proposed criteria. From the studies included in this review, it was possible to observe that among many nanostructures containing AgNPs, hydrogel and spray were the most used for topical application in vivo. Of the analyzed articles, AgNPs showed promising results for the healing of diabetic wounds, showing anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties