Development of drug loaded silver nanoparticle composite chitosan film for burn wound healing

In this study, a novel topical film for burn wound infections was developed by combining chitosan, silver nanoparticles, and the antimicrobial drug neomycin sulfate. Chitosan, a natural polymer, was chosen for its biodegradability, biocompatibility, and antibacterial properties. Silver nanoparticles exhibited bactericidal effects against various Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, while neomycin sulfate is an antimicrobial drug. The silver nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized using UV spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and zeta potential. A film was formed on surgical dressing material containing chitosan, silver nanoparticles, and neomycin sulfate and evaluated for in-vitro anti-microbial activity and in-vivo wound healing activity on rat model. Antimicrobial activity of film showed significant differences compared to chitosan solution, silver nanoparticles, and neomycin sulfate. X-ray diffraction and FT-IR data suggested that the drug and formulation were in an amorphous form, with no interactions between the drug and excipient. The wound healing properties of neomycin sulfate-loaded silver nanoparticle-chitosan film were significantly higher than chitosan film, silver nanoparticle-containing chitosan film, and silver sulfadiazine ointment (Burn cool). Notably, the neomycin sulfate-loaded silver nanoparticle-chitosan film have significantly enhanced wound healing and can be a potential alternative in treatment of burn wound.