Currently, there are various physical and mechanical agents that can cause skin wounds, which are still traditionally treated with plant extracts. It has been reported that the genus Tagetes has a wide range of biological properties, including antibacterial and wound healing activity. Likewise, Agave americana extract and Aloe vera gel have shown potential in the treatment of burn wounds and other skin conditions both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, the antibacterial and wound healing activities of each of these plants were investigated, as well as the possibility of enhancing these activities by combining them. First, the secondary metabolites of the extracts were quantified, the antibacterial activity was evaluated using the Kirby-Bauer method, and their cytotoxicity was measured in 3T3 and HaCaT cells using the sulforhodamine B assay. The results revealed that Tagetes nelsonii extract had a higher amount of secondary metabolites, which is why it exhibited antibacterial activity. Finally, the scratch assay showed that the individual extracts of T. nelsonii and A. americana demonstrated greater cell migration and proliferation starting from 12 h, as well as when using the combination of A. americana extract and A. vera gel, which almost completely closed the wound compared to the control.

In this study, hydrogel dressings based on alginate and carboxymethylcellulose were developed, supplemented with extracts from Tagetes nelsonii, Agave americana, and Aloe vera gel, for the treatment and healing of wounds. For this purpose, the physical and mechanical characterization of the films was carried out using different concentrations of the crosslinker, calcium chloride. Additionally, T. nelsonii was the extract that exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity as well as in vivo wound-healing activity. Subsequently, plant extracts were added, the dressings were characterized, and antibacterial activity was determined by the Kirby–Bauer method against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The results indicated that the prepared dressings have potential for use in wound treatment and healing, with the dressing containing T. nelsonii extract being the only one with antibacterial activity. Therefore, all of them can be used for acute wounds on body parts such as the palms of the hands, knees, elbows, and soles of the feet.