A bio-inspired approach of formulation and evaluation of Aegle marmelos fruit extract mediated silver nanoparticle gel and comparison of its antibacterial activity with antiseptic cream

Introduction: Historically, silver has been used in medicine and its bactericidal activity is well established in the treatment of infection and for promoting healing. Medicinal plants are now being used to synthesize nanoparticles in order to provide enhanced medicinal properties. Aegle marmelos fruit pulp extract has high nutritious and medicinal values, it can provide easy, economic and ecofriendly way for silver nanoparticles synthesis. The present study involved the formulation and evaluation of phytofibricated silver nanoparticle gel with the goal of comparing its efficacy against a marketed formulation containing a combination of silver sulphadiazine, metronidazole and chlorhexidine gluconate. Method: A. marmelos fruit pulp extract was used for silver nanoparticles synthesis and carbopol ETD 2020 NF as a gel base. The evaluation of gel was carried out by analyzing the consistency and drug release kinetics. The stability of gel was checked for three months at 40 degrees C temperature and 75 % relative humidity. The antimicrobial activity of biological silver nanoparticles was compared with a standard marketed formulation by the well diffusion method. Result: The formulation had 1247 cp viscosity, desired consistency, spreadability, extrudability, first-order release kinetics and good stability. The antimicrobial activity of formulated gel was significantly higher against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pyogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia and Candida albicans than the marketed preparation. Conclusion: The A. marmelos mediated silver nanoparticle gel had the desired physiochemical properties with greater antimicrobial activity than the marketed formulation. This in vitro study recommends the use of phytofibricated silver nanoparticle formulation over conventional antiseptic creams.