Silver Nanoparticles with Multimodal Biological Activities Integrated into Advanced Material Platforms for Chronic Wound Management

Abstract

Wound healing is a vital biological process, yet chronic wounds pose a significant global health burden. Traditional wound care, reliant on passive dressings and antibiotics, often fails against complex wound environments involving infection, inflammation, and impaired regeneration, highlighting the need for advanced therapeutics. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), with their tailorable physicochemical properties, are promising due to potent broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and increasing evidence of beneficial effects on inflammation, oxidative stress, and tissue remodeling. Numerous reviews primarily address AgNPs’ antimicrobial uses or basic material integration. However, a comprehensive, integrated perspective is notably absent. Such a perspective is needed to link their complex multimodal biological functions (beyond antibacterial) with the rational design of advanced, particularly smart and multifunctional, dressing systems for complex wound challenges. This review provides a timely, in-depth overview, integrating the latest understanding of AgNPs’ properties and intricate mechanisms governing their diverse multimodal biological actions relevant to wound healing. We systematically review strategies for incorporating AgNPs into various advanced material formats, including hydrogels, fibers, and films, focusing on achieving enhanced performance and functionality. Recent breakthroughs in designing smart and multifunctional AgNPs-based systems are highlighted. These systems respond to the wound microenvironment and deliver multiple therapeutic signals. The review concludes by addressing current challenges, including safety and clinical translation. Furthermore, future directions are proposed to advance the rational development and realize the full potential of effective, next-generation AgNPs-based wound therapeutics.