Exploring the Bioactivity of Reduced Graphene Oxide and TiO2 Nanocomposite for the Regenerative Medicinal Applications

•The rGO@TiO2 nanocomposite synthesized by the single-step hydrothermal method•The antibacterial property of TiO2 was increased by the incorporation of rGO•The rGO@TiO2 nanocomposite exhibits concentration-dependent cytotoxicity against HeLa cells•The synergistic effect between rGO and TiO2 increases the wound healing property Millions of people globally suffer from issues related to chronic wound due to infection, burn, obesity, and diabetes. Nanocomposite with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties is a promising material to promote wound healing. This investigation primarily aims to synthesize reduced graphene oxide and titanium dioxide (rGO@TiO2) nanocomposite for wound healing applications. The rGO@TiO2 nanocomposite was synthesized by the one-step hydrothermal technique, and the physicochemical characterization of synthesized nanocomposite was performed by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmittance electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and dynamic light scattering. Further, the nanocomposite antibacterial, cytotoxicity, and wound-healing properties were analyzed by disc diffusion method, MTT assay, and in vitro scratch assay, respectively. Based on the TEM images, the average particle size of TiO2 nanoparticles was around 9.26 ± 1.83 nm. The characteristics peak of Ti-O-Ti bonds was observed between 500 to 850 cm−1 in the Fourier transforms infrared spectrum. The Raman spectrum of graphene oxide (GO) was obtained for bands D and G at 1354 cm−1 at 1593 cm−1, respectively. This GO peak intensity was reduced in rGO, revealing the oxygen functional group reduction. Moreover, the rGO@TiO2 nanocomposite exhibited dose-dependent antibacterial properties against the positive and negative bacterium. The cytotoxicity for 5−100 µg/mL of rGO@TiO2 nanocomposite was above the half-maximal inhibitory concentration value. The in vitro scratch assay for rGO@TiO2 indicates that the nanocomposite promotes cell proliferation and migration. The nanocomposite recovered the wound within 48 h. The rGO@TiO2 nanocomposite shows potential materials for wound healing applications. [Display omitted]