Ecofriendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Kei-apple (Dovyalis caffra) fruit and their efficacy against cancer cells and clinical pathogenic microorganisms

Green fabrication has become a safe approach for producing nanoparticles. Plant-based biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has emerged as a possible alternative to traditional chemical production. In this paper, we provide a low-cost, green synthesis of AgNPs utilizing using Kei-apple (Dovyalis caffra) fruit extract. Ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning-Electron Microscope (SEM), and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) analyses were used to characterize green produced AgNPs. The formation of AgNPs was shown to have a surface resonance peak of 415 nm in UV–visible spectra, and FTIR spectra verified the participation of biological molecules in Synthesis of AgNPs. The TEM revealed that the biosynthesized AgNPs were mostly spherical in form, with size range of 12–53 nm. XRD diffractogram was used to demonstrate the face cubic centre (fcc) character of AgNPs. Excellent anticancer activity of AgNPs was recorded where more than 80% of Prostate Cancer (PC-3) cell lines was inhibited by 100–150 µg/mL of AgNPs, while 38% only was recorded using AgNO₃ and 55.62% was recorded D. caffra fruit extract at 150 µg/mL. Destructions of PC-3 cell was observed as a result of exposed to AgNPs, followed by D. caffra fruit extract, while minor alterations were recorded as exposed to AgNO₃. The 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging using AgNPs was three fold using fruit extract at 100 µg/mL indicating good antioxidant activity. Excellent inhibitory activity of AgNPs was recorded against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus with inhibition diameter zone 28.22 ± 0.25 mm, 23.21 ± 0.35 mm, 27.25 ± 0.03 mm, 28.40 ± 0.15 mm, 29.23 ± 0.44 mm, and 9.52 ± 0.5 mm, respectively compared with AgNO₃. D. caffra fruits considered a promising and safe source for fabrication of AgNPs with multi-biological functions.     

Novel silver-platinum bimetallic nanoalloy synthesized from Vernonia mespilifolia extract: Antioxidant,antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities

In this study, bimetallic nanoparticles comprising silver and platinum with promising therapeutic activities were synthesized using ethanolic Vernonia mespilifolia plant extract for the first time. The bimetallic silver-platinum nanoparticles (AgPtNPs) were characterized using solid-state techniques including UV–vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) techniques. The internal morphological structure showed that the AgPtNPs were spherical with a diameter of approximately 35.5 ± 0.8 nm, while FTIR confirmed the effective capping and formation of the nanoparticles by phytoconstituents. The polyphenolic contents of the green synthesized nanoparticles from the ethanolic extract of V. mespilifolia (AgNPs and AgPtNPs) was found to be (28.0 ± 0.8 and 13.6 ± 0.1 mg GAE/g) total phenol, while the flavonoids content was (366.2 ± 17.0 and 126.6 ± 0.2 mg QE/g), and proanthocyanins content was (161.8 ± 0.6 and 70.2 ± 0.6 mg CE/g). The AgPtNPs displayed a greater ability to scavenge free radicals, especially DPPH and ABTS (IC₅₀ 19.5 and 21.6 µg/mL) respectively when compared with AgNPs and ascorbic acid. Besides, the AgPtNPs had a higher ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) (44.1 mg GAE/g) when compared to AgNPs (18.5 mg GAE/g). Moreover, the AgPtNPs showed a two-fold antimicrobial activity towards pathogenic microbes compared to AgNPs and a selective cytotoxic potency towards MCF-7 breast cancer cell line compared to HEK 293 normal cell line. In summary, these fascinating bioactivities displayed by the AgPtNPs highlighted their potential in therapeutic biomedical applications.     

Synthesis of silver nanoparticles using root extract of Duchesnea indica and assessment of its biological activities

Treatment of microbial infections and inflammatory conditions have many challenges in terms of efficacy and safety issues. Novel approaches such as nanoparticles based drug delivery system have shown promising results to solve some of these problems. The aim of this study was to exploit the efficacy of the synthesized silver nanoparticles. In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were biosynthesized using root extract (aqueous) of Duchesnea indica. They were characterized using different techniques such as, ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectrophotometry, transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM and SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and zetasizer. The UV–Vis spectra gave a characteristic peak at 423 nm; XRD confirmed its crystalline structure; FTIR confirmed the involvement of phytochemicals in their capping and reduction; TEM images confirmed their spherical shape with average width of 20.49 nm and average area of 319.25 nm². Various biological activities were performed on these NPs, such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and muscle relaxant, which showed significant results as follow. Among bacterial strains, Salmonella typhi (MIC: 0.01 mg/ml) and Escherichia coli (MIC: 0.01 mg/ml), while among that of fungal Microsporum canis (MIC: 0.53 mg/ml) and Alternaria alternata (MIC: 0.51 mg/ml) were most susceptible. The AgNPs showed maximum anti-inflammatory activity (46.15 and 56.85%) at 20 mg/kg after 3 and 5 h of drug administration, comparable to that of standard. In-vivo model exhibited concentration dependent inhibition of both COX-2 and 5-LOX enzymes. Similarly, it exhibited maximum analgesic activity (54.24%) at 20 mg/kg dose after 60 min. of pain induction. Furthermore, they depicted maximum muscle relaxation (P < 0.01) after 60 and 90 min of drug administration. Above results suggest that these AgNPs can be studied further for the development of more effective and safe formulations.     

Synthesis of carrageenan coated silver nanoparticles by an easy green method and their characterization and antimicrobial activities

The aim of the present work was to synthesize carrageenan coated silver nanoparticles (CA–AgNPs) using carrageenan as reducing and stabilizing agent. For this purpose, 10 mL of 0.35% (w/v) carrageenan solution was mixed with 10 mL AgNO₃ solution at different concentrations (1, 5 and 10 mM), and the resulting mixture was stirred at 100 °C at high speed for 2 h. The formation of CA–AgNPs was proven with the surface plasmon peaks observed at approximately 420 nm. The sizes and zeta potentials of CA–AgNPs were determined by Zeta-Sizer. Negative zeta potentials of CA–AgNPs indicated that the obtained AgNPs were stable. With scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope analysis, it was seen that CA–AgNPs have spherical structure. According to the energy dispersion spectrometer analysis based on SEM images, it was observed that the samples were elementally composed of carbon, oxygen, sulfur, potassium and silver. The chemical structures of CA–AgNPs were determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and it was proved that the carbonyl and OH groups of carrageenan were involved in formation and stabilizing of AgNPs, respectively. According to thermal gravimetric analysis, it has been observed that CA–AgNPs were thermally more stable than pure carrageenan. Antibacterial activity of CA–AgNPs against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria was investigated with agar well diffusion and liquid test. It has been observed that CA–AgNPs synthesized with 1 mM AgNO₃ did not have an antibacterial activity on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Inhibition zones of varying diameters were observed in the 5 mM and 10 mM S-AgNPs groups. The synthesized CA–AgNPs (5 and 10 mM) have the capacity to be used in wound dressing materials or topical agents applied to burns and wounds due to their antibacterial effects and stability.

     

Eco-friendly synthesis of size-controlled silver nanoparticles by using Areca catechu nut aqueous extract and investigation of their potent antioxidant and anti-bacterial activities

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have attracted considerable attention owing to their unique biological applications. AgNPs synthesized by plant extract is considered as a convenient, efficient and eco-friendly material. In this work, the aqueous extract of Areca catechu L. nut (ACN) was used as the reducing and capping agents for one-pot synthesis of AgNPs, and their antioxidant and antibacterial activities were investigated. UV (Ultra Violet)-visible spectrum and dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis revealed that the size of AgNPs was sensitive to the synthesis conditions. The synthesized AgNPs were composed of well-dispersed particles with an small size of about 10 nm under the optimal conditions (pH value of extract was 12.0; AgNO₃ concentration was 1.0 mM; reaction time was 90 min). In addition, scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results further verified that the synthesized AgNPs had a stable and well-dispersed form (Zeta potential value of ?30.50 mV and polydispersity index of 0.328) and a regular spherical shape (average size of 15–20 nm). In addition, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) results revealed that phytochemical constituents in ACN aqueous extract accounted for Ag⁺ ion reduction, capping and stabilization of AgNPs. The possible reductants in the aqueous extract of Areca catechu L. nut were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-qTOF/MS) method. More importantly, the synthesized AgNPs indicated excellent free radical scavenging activity of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH, IC₅₀ = 11.75 ± 0.29 μg/mL) and 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS⁺, IC₅₀ = 44.85 ± 0.37 μg/mL), which were significant higher than that of ascorbic acid. Moreover, AgNPs exhibited an enhanced antibacterial activity against six selected common pathogens (especially Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) compared with AgNO₃ solution. In a short, this study showed that the Areca catechu L. nut aqueous extract could be applied for eco-friendly synthesis of AgNPs.     

Biological synthesis of silver nanoparticles in Tribulus terrestris L. extract and evaluation of their photocatalyst,antibacterial, and cytotoxicity effects

In recent years, progress of biological synthesis of nanoparticles is inevitable due to its important applications. In this research, a new and simple method for the synthesis of AgNPs from plant extracts is presented. The extract from shoots of the plant Tribulus terrestris L. was mixed with AgNO₃ with the aim of biologically synthesizing AgNPs. The biomolecules existing in the extract were accountable for the fast reduction of silver ions (Ag⁺) to AgNPs. Characterization of biosynthesized AgNPs was performed by UV–Vis, TEM, DLS, and XRD. The AgNPs exhibit a strong peak at 434 nm, and sphere-shaped AgNPs were found to be ~?25 nm. The biosynthesized silver nanoparticles have demonstrated high antibacterial effect against pathogenic bacteria (i.e., Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). In addition, the in vitro cytotoxicity effect of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles was also investigated and was detected to be up to 15.62 μg/mL in the treated Neuro2A cells. The plant-mediated biosynthesis of AgNPs has comparatively rapid, eco-friendly, inexpensive and wide-ranging application in modern medicine and the food industry.

     

Biosynthesis of Bixa orellana seed extract mediated silver nanoparticles with moderate antioxidant,antibacterial and antiproliferative activity

Biosynthesis of metallic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has gained much interest and offers an attractive alternate to physical and chemical approaches. In recent year several safe, easy, cost-effective, reproducible, and environmentally friendly synthesis approaches for silver nanoparticles have been developed. In this research work, a simple, cheap, and unexplored method was applied on green synthesis of AgNPs using secondary metabolites extracted from Bixa orellana seeds. The seeds are rich of flavonoids and phenolic compounds which presumably responsible for the fast reduction and stabilization of silver ion into silver nanoparticles. The biosynthesis process is very likely to be able to reduce silver ions under simple physiological conditions. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) that was appeared at 420 nm in UV–vis spectrum, had confirmed the formation of AgNPs. Moreover, the functional groups in secondary metabolite that act as reducing, capping and stabilizing agents for silver nanoparticles, are identified by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra. An X-ray diffraction analysis generated four peaks for Bixa orellana seed extract mediated AgNPs positioned at 2θ angles of 38.1°, 44.2°, 64.6°, and 77.5° corresponding to crystal planes (1 1 1), (2 0 0), (2 2 0), and (3 1 1). Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images confirmed the formation of nanosized silver particles. The z-average of the synthesized particles measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS) was found to be 92.9 nm. AgNPs synthesized exhibited remarkable antioxidant activity, antibacterial and antiproliferative activity against human breast (MCF-7) cell line. On the basis of our results, we conclude that biologically synthesized AgNPs exhibited favorable characteristics and have the potential to be used in biomedical fields.     

Biomimetic synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Syzygium aromaticum (clove) extract: Catalytic and antimicrobial effects

In the current work, we followed a green chemistry route to prepare and characterize the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Syzygium aromaticum (clove) extract at room temperature. Suitably, the clove extract acted as a reducing agent as well as a capping agent, and these reactions occurred rapidly. The formation of the AgNPs was confirmed by the observation of the distinct absorption peak at a wavelength of 418 nm using ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, and a morphological study confirmed the uniform distribution of the optimally spherical nanoparticles. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results indicated the methoxy and allyl functional groups of eugenol of the clove extract to be responsible for the bioreduction of silver ions and for the stabilization of the resulting nanoparticles (flavonoids). We also found the AgNPs to be effective catalysts of the degradation of three pollutant organic dyes viz., 4‐nitrophenol, methylene blue and rhodamine B, in the presence of excess NaBH₄. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the bio‐synthesized AgNPs were also explored. Overall, the results suggested the potential use of clove extract as a resource for the synthesis of AgNPs having a broad range of possible commercial and biomedical applications.     

Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using the Plant Extract of Acer oblongifolium and Study of Its Antibacterial and Antiproliferative Activity via Mathematical Approaches

In this study, the antibacterial and antifungal properties of silver nanoparticles synthesized with the aqueous plant extract of Acer oblongifolium leaves were defined using a simplistic, environmentally friendly, reliable, and cost-effective method. The aqueous plant extract of Acer oblongifolium, which served as a capping and reducing agent, was used to biosynthesize silver nanoparticles. UV visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy were used to analyze the biosynthesized Acer oblongifolium silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus paramycoides and Bacillus cereus) and Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli) were used to test the AgNPs’ antibacterial activity. The presence of different functional groups was determined by FTIR. The AgNPs were rod-like in shape. The nanoparticles were more toxic against Escherichia coli than both Bacillus cereus and Bacillus paramycoides. The AgNPs had IC₅₀ values of 6.22 and 9.43 and mg/mL on HeLa and MCF-7, respectively, proving their comparatively strong potency against MCF-7. This confirmed that silver nanoparticles had strong antibacterial activity and antiproliferative ability against MCF-7 and HeLa cell lines. The mathematical modeling revealed that the pure nanoparticle had a high heat-absorbing capacity compared to the mixed nanoparticle. This research demonstrated that the biosynthesized Acer oblongifolium AgNPs could be used as an antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer agent in the future.     

Photodynamic cytotoxic and antibacterial evaluation of Tecoma stans and Narcissus tazetta mediated silver nanoparticles

Nanobiotechnology is the intersection of nanotechnology and biology, where nano systems are applied to help study biological systems. There is a growing interest of researchers in the application of nanotechnology in improving the efficacy of photodynamic therapy. In this study, the antioxidant, photodynamic, anticancer, and antibacterial potential of plant extracts and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were investigated. In order to synthesize AgNPs, 10 g of dried powder of Tecoma stans and Narcissus tazetta was boiled in deionized water (100 ml) and mixed with aqueous solution of silver metals, resulting in the formation of AgNPs. The synthesized AgNPs were spherical having size in a range of 15–100 nm. The application of extract (50 µl) and AgNPs to rhabdomyosarcoma cell line showed a decreased cell viability (%). Photodynamic study revealed an improvement in photosensitizer efficacy on introducing AgNPs. Both plant extracts and AgNPs had significant effect against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as well as sensitive Staphylococcus aureus with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of AgNPs lower (32–256 µg/ml) than the plant extracts. According to the current findings, these AgNPs have an enhancing effect on the photodynamic cytotoxic potential of plant extracts. Because of biological efficacy, these AgNPs may play a crucial role in determining therapeutic potential of Tecoma stans and Narcissus tazetta.     

Daphne mucronata-mediated phytosynthesis of silver nanoparticles and their novel biological applications,compatibility and toxicity studies

This contribution reports the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using aqueous leaf extracts of D. mucronata and their diverse applications. Synthesized AgNPs were characterized using diverse techniques, i.e. UV, XRD, EDS, SEM, TEM, FTIR and TGA/DTA. These techniques confirmed the authenticity of the synthesized nanoparticles. The bimodulated AgNPs revealed the highest radical scavenging potential, i.e. 86.4% relative to plant extract at 600?μg/ml. Escherichia coli was found to be the most susceptible strain to AgNPs. Growth of vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was also inhibited. Hemolytic activity revealed negligible hemolysis, indicating the biocompatible nature of biomodulated AgNPs. Furthermore, no mutagenic properties were shown by the biogenic AgNPs. Synthesized nanoparticles possessed promising insecticidal potential and had no phytotoxic activity. No haemagglutination was observed for biogenic AgNPs.     

Preparation and antibacterial activity of electrospun chitosan/poly(ethylene oxide) membranes containing silver nanoparticles

Fairly uniform chitosan (CS)/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) ultrafine fibers containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were successfully prepared by electrospinning of CS/PEO solutions containing Ag/CS colloids by means of in situ chemical reduction of Ag ions. The presence of AgNPs in the electrospun ultrafine fibers was confirmed by X-ray diffraction patterns. The AgNPs were evenly distributed in CS/PEO ultrafine fibers with the size less than 5 nm observed under a transmission electron microscope. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy suggested that the existence of Ag―O bond in the composite ultrafine fibers led to the tight combination between Ag and CS. Evaluation of antimicrobial activities of the electrospun Ag/CS/PEO fibrous membranes against Escherichia coli showed that the AgNPs in the ultrafine fibers significantly enhanced the inactivation of bacteria.     

Waste Banana Stem Utilized for Biosynthesis of Silver and Gold Nanoparticles and Their Antibacterial and Catalytic Properties

The present work presented a synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using the aqueous extract of waste banana stem (WBS), Musa paradisiaca Linn. The reduction and formation of MNPs have been characterized by several analysis techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The techniques showed that average particle size of WBS-AgNPs and WBS-AuNPs in crystalline nature was in ranges of 7–13 nm and 11–14 nm, respectively. The synthesized nanoparticles were used to evaluate antibacterial activity and catalysis. The WBS-AgNPs showed strong antibacterial activity against B. subtilis and E. coli. The largest zone of inhibition against B. subtilis (14.2 mm) and E. coli (9.3 mm) was found at concentrations of 4.0 ppm and 2.0 ppm, respectively. The excellent catalytic application of both the nanoparticles for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol was confirmed via study on their kinetics. The normalized kinetic constants (k_nor) of WBS-AgNPs and WBS-AuNPs were found to be 1.72?×?10^–3 s^?1 mg^?1 and 2.45?×?10^–3 s^?1 mg^?1, respectively.

     

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using aqueous extract of Stachys lavandulifolia flower,and their cytotoxicity,antioxidant, antibacterial and cutaneous wound‐healing properties

In a biological process where the herbal tea (Stachys lavandulifolia) aqueous extract was applied as a capping and reducing agent, nanoparticles (NPs) of silver (Ag) were synthesized. These AgNPs were characterized using Fourier transform‐infrared spectroscopy, field emission‐scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. The synthesized AgNPs had great cell viability dose‐dependently [investigating the effect of the plant on human umbilical vein endothelial cell line] and indicated this method was non‐toxic. In this study, the 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging test was carried out to examine antioxidant properties, which revealed similar antioxidant properties for AgNPs and butylated hydroxytoluene. Agar diffusion tests were applied to determine the antibacterial characteristics. The macro‐broth tube test was run to determine minimum inhibitory concentration. All data of antibacterial and cutaneous wound‐healing examinations were analyzed by SPSS 21 software (Duncan post hoc test). AgNPs showed higher antibacterial property than all standard antibiotics (p ≤ 0.01). Also, AgNPs prevented the growth of all bacteria at 2–8 mg/ml concentrations and destroyed them at 2–16 mg/ml concentrations (p ≤ 0.01). For the in vivo experiment, after creating the cutaneous wound, the rats were randomly divided into six groups: untreated control; treatment with Eucerin basal ointment; treatment with 3% tetracycline ointment; treatment with 0.2% AgNO₃ ointment; treatment with 0.2% S. lavandulifolia ointment; and treatment with 0.2% AgNPs ointment. These groups were treated for 10 days. For histopathological and biochemical analysis of the healing trend, a 3 × 3‐cm section was prepared from all dermal thicknesses at day 10. Use of AgNPs ointment in the treatment groups substantially reduced (p ≤ 0.01) the wound area, total cells, neutrophil, macrophage and lymphocyte, and remarkably raised (p ≤ 0.01) the wound contracture, hydroxyl proline, hexosamine, hexuronic acid, fibrocyte and fibrocytes/fibroblast rate compared with other groups. Seemingly, AgNPs can be used as a medical supplement owing to their non‐cytotoxic, antioxidant, antibacterial and cutaneous wound‐healing properties.     

In Vitro Antioxidant,Antitumor and Photocatalytic Activities of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Equisetum Species: A Green Approach

The ethanolic extracts of three Equisetum species (E. pratense Ehrh., E. sylvaticum L. and E. telmateia Ehrh.) were used to reduce silver ions to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The synthesized AgNPs were characterized using UV-Vis spectrophotometry, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) measurements. FTIR data revealed the functional groups of biomolecules involved in AgNPs synthesis, such as O-H, C-H, C=O, C-O, and C-C. EDX spectroscopy was used to highlight the presence of silver, while DLS spectroscopy provided information on the mean diameter of AgNPs, that ranged from 74.4 to 314 nm. The negative Zeta potential values (−23.76 for Ep–AgNPs, −29.54 for Es–AgNPs and −20.72 for Et–AgNPs) indicate the stability of the obtained colloidal solution. The study also focused on establishing the photocatalytic activity of AgNPs, which is an important aspect in terms of removing organic dyes from the environment. The best photocatalytic activity was observed for AgNPs obtained from E. telmateia, which degraded malachite green in a proportion of 97.9%. The antioxidant action of the three AgNPs samples was highlighted comparatively through four tests, with the best overall antioxidant capacity being observed for AgNPs obtained using E. sylvaticum. Moreover, the biosynthesized AgNPs showed promising cytotoxic efficacy against cancerous cell line MG63, the AgNPs obtained from E. sylvaticum L. providing the best result, with a LD₅₀ value around 1.5 mg/mL.     

Synthesis of Rumex hastatus-based silver nanoparticles induced the inhibition of human pathogenic bacterial strains

The development of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacterial strains has drawn attention to the quest for new natural antibacterial drugs. Therefore, in the present study, extracts of Rumex hastatus leaves were obtained in methanol and water, and R. hastatus-based silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized. Structural and functional properties of synthesized silver nanoparticles were determined by UV–vis spectroscopy, XRD, FTIR and SEM. The synthesized AgNPs and crude extracts were tested to check their antibacterial potential against human pathogenic bacterial strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus haemoliticus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in well diffusion and broth dilution methods. The present investigation has revealed for the first time that the broth dilution method was found more reproducible than that of the well diffusion method even at lower concentrations of AgNPs and crude extracts. UV– Vis spectroscopic analysis of AgNPs revealed a peak at 367 nm_. XRD pattern showed a face-centered cubical to the spherical structure of AgNP crystals. FTIR analysis revealed that flavonoids and terpenoids are responsible for the reduction of AgNO₃ to Ag⁺. SEM analysis determined the spherical structure and 51 nm average diameter of nanoparticles. The antibacterial activity of R. hastatus-based (AgNPs) was found to be significantly higher than aqueous plant extract and silver nitrate alone. Bacterial growth was inhibited by R. hastatus-based AgNPs in a dose-dependent manner. To our knowledge, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) of R. hastatus were synthesized and characterized for the first time in this study and, based on the findings of current research work R. hastatus extract-based silver nanoparticles are suggested to be used as an antibacterial drug instead of synthetic drugs for the treatment of various human diseases/infections caused by the tested bacterial strains.     

Chemical characterization and anti-breast cancer effects of silver nanoparticles using Phoenix dactylifera seed ethanolic extract on 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a] anthracene-induced mammary gland carcinogenesis in Sprague Dawley male rats

The aim of the recent research was to investigate the anti-breast cancer effects of silver nanoparticles using Phoenix dactylifera seed ethanolic extract (AgNPs). After preparation of Phoenix dactylifera seed extract, GC/MS was performed to detect the compounds. The findings indicated that 9-Octadecenoic acid (Z)- methyl ester (40.95%) and Dodecanoic acid methyl ester (20%) were the most frequent constituents found in P. dactylifera. These nanoparticles were spherical with a size range of 17-19 nm and characterized using various analytical techniques including UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy to determine the presence of AgNPs in the solution. We studied functional groups of P. dactylifera extract in the reduction and capping process of AgNPs by FT-IR, crystallinity and FCC planes by X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern and surface morphology, shapes, and size of AgNPs by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). DPPH free radical scavenging test was used to test the antioxidant properties of P. dactylifera and AgNPs, which revealed high antioxidant potential similar to butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT) as the positive control. The results of cytotoxicity analysis indicated that P. dactylifera and AgNPs were toxic for MCF-7 cells. In vivo design, induction of breast cancer was done by 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a] anthracene (DMBA) in 50 animals. After 10 days, the animals were randomly divided into six subgroups, including healthy control, untreated control, two groups receiving the P. dactylifera at 2 and 6 mg/kg and two groups receiving the AgNPs at 2 and 6 mg/kg concentrations. Both doses of P. dactylifera and AgNPs (especially AgNPs6) significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced the weight and volume of liver, mammary gland, kidney, spleen, ALP, AST, ALT, GGT, cholesterol, LDL, triglyceride, total and conjugated bilirubin, urea, creatinine, glucose, ferrous, ferritin, erythropoietin, GR, IL1, IL6, IL12, IL18, IFNY, and TNFα and increased HDL, total protein, albumin, WBC, lymphocyte, neutrophils, platelet, RBC, Hb, PCV, MCV, MCH, MCHC, SOD, CAT, GPx, IL4, IL5, IL10, IL13, and IFNα compared to the untreated group. Moreover, P. dactylifera and AgNPs (especially AgNPs6) significantly (p ≤ 0.05) treated breast cancer with reduction of organs free of metastasis compared to the untreated group. Seemingly, the AgNPs can be used for the treatment of breast cancer.     

Antimicrobial and cytotoxicity properties of biosynthesized gold and silver nanoparticles using D. brittonii aqueous extract

Recently, the production of nanoparticles using biological resources has gained considerable attention due to their application for animal and human well-being. In this study, we used a green synthesis to fabricate gold and silver nanoparticles by reducing HAuCl₄ and AgNO₃ into AuNPs and AgNPs, respectively, using Dudleya brittonii (DB) extract. The physio-chemical properties of the synthesized nanoparticles were analyzed using a UV–vis spectrophotometer, FESEM, EDX, HR-TEM, AFM and FT-IR. Furthermore, the antimicrobial and cytotoxicity activities of DB-AuNPs and DB-AgNPs against livestock pathogenic bacteria and different cell lines, as well as anti-oxidant activity, were investigated. DB synthesized AuNPs and AgNPs were mostly spherical with a few triangular rods and sizes ranging of 5–25 nm and 10–40 nm, respectively. The in vitro antibacterial and antifungal studies demonstrated the DB-AuNPs and DB-AgNPs have good antibacterial activity against E. coli and other livestock pathogens, including Y. pseudotuberculosis and S. typhi. Cell studies revealed that the higher concentrations of both DB-AuNPs and DB-AgNPs (1 µg/ml to 1 mg/ml) showed potent cytotoxicity in chicken cells after 24 hrs, whereas the middle and lower concentrations of DB-AuNPs and DB-AgNPs did not show cytotoxicity in selected cell lines after 24 hrs. In addition, the DB synthesized AuNPs and AgNPs exhibited good free scavenging activity in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, the biosynthesized nanoparticles can be utilized by the livestock industry to develop an effective source against livestock microbial infections.     

Coating of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on glass fibers by a chemical method as plasmonic surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensors to detect molecular vibrations of Doxorubicin (DOX) drug in blood plasma

In the present study, Doxorubicin (DOX) drug in healthy blood plasma was the focus of the investigation by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). In recent years, chemotherapy has been the most popular treatment for various types of cancer; however, its adverse side effects on the patient's health have made a negative aspect regarding the use of this technique. DOX is the most common chemotherapy drug and is used for the treatment of an extensive range of human malignancies. The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a precise technique for the detection of chemicals and biomaterials with significantly low concentrations. The glass fiber substrates coated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been used to detect DOX. First, the Tollens' method was applied to prepare the AgNPs, and the characteristics of fabricated AgNPs were evaluated using ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Then, AgNPs were coated on the glass fiber substrate by a chemical method. Finally, the enhancement of the Raman signal resulted from the molecular vibrations of DOX was evaluated using these SERS-active substrates as plasmonic and Raman spectroscopy sensors. Afterward, for making the sensors practical, the DOX in blood plasma were deposited on the fabricated sensors, and the Raman vibrations were evaluated. The SERS-active substrates, AgNPs deposited on glass fiber substrates, were fabricated for the detection of DOX in and out of the blood plasma; the limit of detection (LOD) for both was 10^?10 M, and the mean relative standard deviation at concentrations of 10^?10 M of DOX out of blood plasma, and 10^?10 M of DOX in blood plasma were obtained to be 3.76% and 3.61%, respectively for ten repeated measurements in which the AgNPs were SERS-active substrates of the biosensors for detecting the DOX. In addition, the enhancement factor was calculated both experimentally and via finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation, which was 29.76 × 10³ and 24.95 × 10³, respectively. Therefore, these SERS-active substrates can be used to develop microsensors and show positive results for SERS-based investigations.     

Evaluating the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of polydopamine capped silver and silver/polydopamine core-shell nanocomposites

Fabrication of bioactive nanomaterials with improved stability and low toxicity towards healthy mammalian cells have recently been a topic of interest. Bioactive metal nanomaterials such as silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) tend to lose their stability with time and become toxic to some extent, limiting their biological applications. AgNPs were separately encapsulated and loaded on the surface of a biocompatible polydopamine (PDA) to produce Ag-PDA and Ag@PDA nanocomposites to unravel the issue of agglomeration. PDA was coated through the self-polymerization of dopamine on the surface of AgNPs to produce Ag-PDA core-shells nanocomposites. For Ag@PDA, PDA spheres were first designed through self-polymerization of dopamine followed by in situ reduction of silver nitrate (AgNO3) without any reductant. AgNPs sizes were controlled by varying the concentration of AgNO₃. The TEM micrograms showed monodispersed PDA spheres with an average diameter of 238 nm for Ag-PDA and Ag@PDA nanocomposites. Compared to Ag@PDA, Ag-PDA nanocomposites have shown insignificant toxicity towards human embryonic kidney (HEK-293T) and human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) cells with cell viability of over 95% at concentration of 250 µg/mL. A excellent antimicrobial activity of the nanocomposites was observed; with Ag@PDA possessing bactericidal effect at concentration as low as 12.5 µg/mL. Ag-PDA on the other hand were only found to be bacteriostatic against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria was also observed.