Comparative Evaluation of Silver and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles in Healing of Staphylococcus aureus-Infected Wounds: A Preclinical Study

Background and Aim: Skin and wound infections commonly result from Staphylococcus aureus, necessitating alternative therapeutic approaches due to escalating antibiotic resistance.This study aims to conduct a thorough comparative analysis, evaluating the distinct impacts of Zinc Oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) and Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), both within the 20 to 30 nm range, on the healing process of infected wounds.Materials and Methods: Forty-eight male mice were randomly divided into four groups.Full-thickness skin wounds were induced on the animals' backs under anesthesia, followed by inoculation with a bacterial suspension (10 8 CFU/ml) of S. aureus.Topical treatments, including 40 l of ZnONPs, 40 l of AgNPs, Tetracycline, and normal saline, were applied to the wound beds.Macroscopic monitoring and histopathological examinations on days 7, 14, and 21 assessed re-epithelialization, inflammation, and angiogenesis.Antibacterial effectiveness was determined by finding the MIC, and SPSS software was used for statistical analysis.Results: The MIC results reveal a significant contrast in antibacterial effectiveness, with AgNPs at 3.91 g/ml and ZnONPs at 125 g/ml, indicating AgNPs' superior potency at lower concentrations.In the macroscopic examination of wounds, both AgNPs and ZnONPs exhibited a substantial acceleration in wound closure, significantly outperforming the negative control group (p<0.05).However, a nuanced distinction emerged in histopathological analysis; while both nanoparticles similarly contributed to reducing inflammation, ZnONPs displayed superior effects on reepithelialization and neovascularization compared to other groups, all without inducing cytotoxicity. Conclusion:The study concludes that AgNPs are potent antibacterial agents, while ZnONPs contribute significantly to advanced wound healing.The comparative analysis provides valuable insights for tailored wound management approaches, considering the distinctive strengths of each nanoparticle.Future research and clinical applications stand to benefit from optimizing therapeutic outcomes across diverse wound healing scenarios.