**1. Introduction**

Recently, a state of alert on a topic that affects people globally, antimicrobial resistance, has received much attention. This has led to the deaths of more than 700,000 people a year worldwide and this number has risen every year [1]. It is estimated that there will be a reduction in the world population of 11–444 million people in 2050 if antimicrobial resistance is not bypassed [1].

As an alternative against antimicrobial resistance, one approach gaining in strength is the use of inorganic particles at the nanoscale. The most prominent metals in the group of inorganic nanoparticles are copper, zinc, titanium, magnesium, gold, and silver [2–4]. In this context, silver nanoparticles have been the most exploited as they have a wide range of toxicity against several microorganisms such as *Staphylococcus aureus*, *Escherichia coli*, *Candida albicans*, and others [5].

The incorporation and use of silver nanoparticles has been observed in sundry sectors, for instance, in the food industry as an attempt to produce packaging with antimicrobial activity [6]. Its use in the area of cosmetics has also received prominence, as has its use in housecleaning, antiseptics, sunscreens, soap, and shampoo [7–9] as well as in textile manufacturing [10].

Considering the synthesis of silver nanoparticles, many routes have been presented such as electrochemical [11], radiation [12], photochemistry [13], and by biological methods [14]. Phytochemical synthesis has been noteworthy since the use of chemical compounds may result in undesirable toxic effects not only for the human organism but also for the environment. Its effectiveness in the production of silver nanoparticles has been demonstrated by the use of compounds of different plants in the ion reduction, being characterized as rapid, low cost, and environmentally friendly synthesis [15]. Furthermore, green-silver nanoparticles are usually less cytotoxic when compared to those reduced by conventional chemical agents [16]. It is believed that silver nanoparticles reduced by plant extracts do not carry on their surface chemical compounds used for the reduction and stabilization of chemically produced silver nanoparticles that are toxic to human cells. It is still believed that the phytochemicals present in the extracts are carried on the surface of the silver nanoparticles, reducing their cytotoxic effect, aside from presenting different forms of chemically produced silver nanoparticles [16]. Important aspects in green-synthesis should be taken into account including the choice of plant to be used, being the plants which grow in different regions of the world more eligible for this [16]. The previously known potential of the plant including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial such as the case of *Punica granatum* (pomegranate) should also be considered [17–19]. Some studies have also used *Punica granatum* to reduce silver ions to silver nanoparticles [19–21]. Silver nanoparticles were green-synthesized and showed significantly lower cytotoxicity when compared to the silver nanoparticles synthesized by a chemical pathway. This fact has stimulated the search for the use of reduced silver nanoparticles by means of plant extracts for biological purposes such as the treatment of contagious infectious diseases, especially those in need of topical treatment.

Thus, taking together the benefits of pomegranate and the antimicrobial applicability of silver nanoparticles, the present study aimed to synthesize silver nanoparticles using pomegranate peel extract, and to produce spray formulations containing the previously green-synthesized silver nanoparticles. Their antimicrobial activity against *Staphylococcus aureus* and *Candida albicans*, and their cytotoxicity effect on fibroblast cells were investigated.
