Green Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles Using Spondias mombin Extract and Their Antimicrobial Activity against Biofilm-Producing Bacteria

Multidrug resistant bacteria create a challenging situation for society to treat infections. Multidrug resistance (MDR) is the reason for biofilm bacteria to cause chronic infection. Plant-based nanoparticles could be an alternative solution as potential drug candidates against these MDR bacteria, as many plants are well known for their antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microorganisms. Spondias mombin is a traditional plant which has already been used for medicinal purposes as every part of this plant has been proven to have its own medicinal values. In this research, the S. mombin extract was used to synthesise AgNPs. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized and further tested for their antibacterial, reactive oxygen species and cytotoxicity properties. The characterization results showed the synthesized AgNPs to be between 8 to 50 nm with -11.52 of zeta potential value. The existence of the silver element in the AgNPs was confirmed with the peaks obtained in the EDX spectrometry. Significant antibacterial activity was observed against selected biofilm-forming pathogenic bacteria. The cytotoxicity study with A. salina revealed the LC50 of synthesized AgNPs was at 0.81 mg/mL. Based on the ROS quantification, it was suggested that the ROS production, due to the interaction of AgNP with different bacterial cells, causes structural changes of the cell. This proves that the synthesized AgNPs could be an effective drug against multidrug resistant bacteria.     

Antimicrobial Activity and Physical Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles Green Synthesized Using Nitrate Reductase from Fusarium oxysporum

Nanostructures from natural sources have received major attention due to wide array of biological activities and less toxicity for humans, animals, and the environment. In the present study, silver nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using a fungal nitrate reductase, and their biological activity was assessed against human pathogenic fungi and bacteria. The enzyme was isolated from Fusarium oxysporum IRAN 31C after culturing on malt extract-glucose-yeast extract-peptone (MGYP) medium. The enzyme was purified by a combination of ultrafiltration and ion exchange chromatography on DEAE Sephadex and its molecular weight was estimated by gel filtration on Sephacryl S-300. The purified enzyme had a maximum yield of 50.84 % with a final purification of 70 folds. With a molecular weight of 214 KDa, it is composed of three subunits of 125, 60, and 25 KDa. The purified enzyme was successfully used for synthesis of silver nanoparticles in a way dependent upon NADPH using gelatin as a capping agent. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, dynamic light scattering spectroscopy, and transmission and scanning electron microscopy. These stable nonaggregating nanoparticles were spherical in shape with an average size of 50 nm and a zeta potential of ?34.3. Evaluation of the antimicrobial effects of synthesized nanoparticles by disk diffusion method showed strong growth inhibitory activity against all tested human pathogenic fungi and bacteria as evident from inhibition zones that ranged from 14 to 25 mm. Successful green synthesis of biologically active silver nanoparticles by a nitrate reductase from F. oxysporum in the present work not only reduces laborious downstream steps such as purification of nanoparticle from interfering cellular components, but also provides a constant source of safe biologically-active nanomaterials with potential application in agriculture and medicine.     

Synthesis, Characterization, and Antimicrobial Activity of Poly(acrylonitrile-co-methyl methacrylate) with Silver Nanoparticles

Nanotechnology is expected to open some new aspects to fight and prevent diseases using atomic-scale tailoring of materials. The main aim of this study is to biosynthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Trichoderma viride (HQ438699); the metabolite of this fungus will help either in reduction of the silver nitrate-adding active materials which will be loaded on the surface of the produced AgNPs. Poly(acrylonitrile-co-methyl methacrylate) copolymer (poly (AN-co-MMA)) was grafted with the prepared AgNPs. The poly(AN-co-MMA)/AgNPs were examined against ten different pathogenic bacterial strains, and the result was compared with another four different generic antibiotics. The produced poly(AN-co-MMA)/AgNPs showed high antibacterial activity compared with the four standard antibiotics. Moreover, the grafting of these AgNPs into the copolymer has potential application in the biomedical field.     

Novel Green Synthesis and Characterization of the Antioxidant Activity of Silver Nanoparticles Prepared from Nepeta leucophylla Root Extract

Bioinspired silver nanoparticles were synthesized using nontoxic, eco-friendly, and novel root extract of Nepeta leucophylla. The reduction of silver nitrate salt into nanoparticles is performed using the root extract, which is rich in polyphenolic and flavonoid contents. The reduction of silver salt by this extract is occurred at several temperatures and the reaction mixture turns brown and displayed representative absorbance spectra of silver nanoparticles. The influence of numerous synthesis parameters such as the concentration of root extract, time, temperature, and reaction pH on the synthesis of silver nanoparticles was also examined. Furthermore, the synthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized by ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The formation of silver nanoparticles was enhanced with time, temperature, and at basic pH. The surface plasmon resonance band characteristics of silver nanoparticles were detected at 410?nm in the ultraviolet–visible absorbance spectra. The infrared spectroscopy results show that the extract contains phenol which is responsible for reduction and proteins may be capping the silver nanoparticles which prevent agglomeration. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that silver nanoparticles were spherical and the sizes matched well with X-ray diffraction and theoretical calculations by Mie theory. Furthermore, the antioxidant potential of the synthesized silver nanoparticles was assessed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay and showed considerable antioxidant potential.     

Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Natural Extracts with Proven Antioxidant Activity

Natural extracts are a rich source of biomolecules that are useful not only as antioxidant drugs or diet supplements but also as complex reagents for the biogenic synthesis of metallic nanoparticles. The natural product components can act as strong reducing and capping substrates guaranteeing the stability of formed NPs. The current work demonstrates the suitability of extracts of Camellia sinensis, Ilex paraguariensis, Salvia officinalis, Tilia cordata, Levisticum officinale, Aegopodium podagraria, Urtica dioica, Capsicum baccatum, Viscum album, and marine algae Porphyra Yezoensis for green synthesis of AgNPs. The antioxidant power of methanolic extracts was estimated at the beginning according to their free radical scavenging activity by the DPPH method and reducing power activity by CUPRAC and SNPAC (silver nanoparticle antioxidant capacity) assays. The results obtained by the CUPRAC and SNAPC methods exhibited excellent agreement (R²~0.9). The synthesized AgNPs were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), dynamic light scattering (DLS) particle size, and zeta potential. The UV-vis absorption spectra showed a peak at 423 nm confirming the presence of AgNPs. The shapes of extract-mediated AgNPs were mainly spherical, spheroid, rod-shaped, agglomerated crystalline structures. The NPs exhibited a high negative zeta potential value in the range from −49.8 mV to −56.1 mV, proving the existence of electrostatic stabilization. FTIR measurements indicated peaks corresponding to different functional groups such as carboxylic acids, alcohol, phenol, esters, ethers, aldehydes, alkanes, and proteins, which were involved in the synthesis and stabilization of AgNPs. Among the examined extracts, green tea showed the highest activity in all antioxidant tests and enabled the synthesis of the smallest nanoparticles, namely 62.51, 61.19, and 53.55 nm, depending on storage times of 30 min, 24 h, and 72 h, respectively. In turn, the Capsicum baccatum extract was distinguished by the lowest zeta potential, decreasing with storage time from −66.0 up to −88.6 mM.     

Green Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles Using Ascomycota Fungi Penicillium nalgiovense AJ12

A new method for green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using the cell-free filtrate of Penicillium nalgiovense AJ12 as reducing and protecting agent was described. The pathway is based on the reduction of Ag¹⁺ by protein(s). Various techniques such as UV–Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), Fourier transform infrared and Zeta potential measurements were used to characterize the silver nanoparticle obtained. The results revealed synthesis of the spherical silver nanoparticles coated with protein(s). The average size of the particles obtained from TEM was 15.2 ± 2.6 nm. DLS measurements showed that the particle size was higher than that estimated from TEM measurements and was 25.2 ± 2.8 nm. Studies on the role of the cell-free filtrate proteins in the synthesis of silver nanoparticles indicated that the process is non-enzymatic but involves amino acids interactions with silver ions. It was found that the aqueous silver nanoparticles suspensions exhibited excellent stability over a wide range of ionic strength, pH and temperature.     

Silver Nanoparticles: Dependence of the Antimicrobial Activity on the Synthesis Conditions

Russian Journal of General Chemistry - Specific features of the synthesis of stable silver nanoparticles by chemical reduction with agents differing in the reducing ability were studied using...     

负载纳米银复合微球制备及其催化性能

以具有温度和pH双重敏感性能的N-异丙基丙烯酰胺(NIPAM)共聚丙烯酸(AA) P(NIPAM-co-AA)高分子微凝胶为模板, 以乙醇为还原剂, 原位还原得到负载纳米银的微米尺度Ag/P(NIPAM-co-AA)复合微凝胶材料. 通过扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、X射线衍射(XRD)仪和紫外-可见(UV-Vis)分光光度计等对复合材料的形貌、组成和催化性能进行表征. 研究结果表明, Ag/P(NIPAM-co-AA)复合微球具有均一的表面结构, 微凝胶的限域作用显著提高了纳米银的分散性和稳定性. 另外, Ag/P(NIPAM-co-AA)复合微球对对硝基苯酚(4-NP)的还原具有较好的催化活性, 且其催化活性与微凝胶网络结构的溶胀、收缩行为有一定关系, 即模板微凝胶的温敏特性可以实现对对硝基苯酚催化反应活性的调控作用.     

Green Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles Using Ferocactus echidne Extract as a Reducing Agent

The green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using an aqueous extract of Ferocactus echidne(a member of the cactus family) as a reducing agent is reported. It is simple, efficient, rapid, and ecologically friendly compared to chemical-mediated methods. Ferocactus echidne is a plant of high medicinal value and rich in polyphenolic antioxidants. The extraction is simple and the product rapidly reduces silver ions without involvement of any external chemical agent. The reduction of silver nanoparticles was characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectrometry as a function of time and concentration. The results show that Ferocactus echidne reduces silver ions within 6 h depending upon the concentration. Further increases in reaction time may result in a blue shift, indicating an increase in particle size, whereas concentration had a minor effect on the particle size. The structure of synthesized nanoparticles was investigated by infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The infrared spectra indicated the association of organic materials with silver nanoparticles to serve as capping agents. Scanning electron micrographs showed that synthesized silver nanoparticles were nearly uniform and elliptical in shape with diameters of 20 to 60 nm. X-ray diffraction confirmed the formation of silver nanoparticles with an approximate 20 nm particle size calculated using the Debye-Scherer equation. Biological tests revealed that the silver nanoparticles were active against gram positive and negative bacteria( Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) and fungi (Candida albicans), indicating their broad spectrum antibiotic and antifungal abilities.     

Microwave-Assisted Green Synthesis of Non-Cytotoxic Silver Nanoparticles Using the Aqueous Extract of Rosa santana (rose) Petals and Their Antimicrobial Activity

Green methods using biological extracts, in particular plant-based solutions, have shown great potential for silver nanoparticle synthesis. A microwave-assisted single-step phytosynthesis of silver nanoparticles is described in the present study. The aqueous extract obtained from the Rosa santana (rose) petals was used for the first time in the synthesis. The synthesized nanoparticles obtained after optimized microwave conditions for time and temperature were analyzed by ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Zeta-size analysis. The results obtained from the characterization studies showed that the synthesized nanoparticles were nearly spherical in shape with sizes from 6.52?nm to 25.24?nm with an average particle size of 14.48?nm with a face-centered cubic structure. The antibacterial activities of the synthesized nanoparticles were evaluated and revealed that the silver nanoparticles displayed good inhibition against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Also, the cytotoxic effect of the silver nanoparticles on a mouse fibroblast cell line (L929) was studied by a cell viability assay. The results showed that phytosynthesized silver nanoparticles were nontoxic to the healthy normal cell line at all tested concentrations.     

Comparative Study of Antimicrobial Activity of Silver,Gold, and Silver/Gold Bimetallic Nanoparticles Synthesized by Green Approach

Nanotechnology is one of the most recent technologies. It is uncertain whether the production of small-size nanoparticles (NPs) can be achieved through a simple, straightforward, and medicinally active phytochemical route. The present study aimed to develop an easy and justifiable method for the synthesis of Ag, Au, and their Ag/Au bimetallic NPs (BNPs) by using Hippeastrum hybridum (HH) extract, and then to investigate the effects of Ag, Au, and their Ag/Au BNPs as antimicrobial and phytotoxic agents. Ag, Au, and their Ag/Au BNPs were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, XRD, EDX, and SEM analysis. XRD analysis conferring to the face of face-centered cubic crystal structure with an average size of 13.3, 10.72, and 8.34 nm of Ag, Au, and Ag/Au BNPs, respectively. SEM showed that Ag, Au, and Ag/Au BNPs had spherical morphologies, with calculated nano measurements of 40, 30, and 20 nm, respectively. The EDX analysis confirmed the composition of elemental Ag signal of the HH-AgNPs with 22.75%, Au signal of the HH-AuNPs with 48.08%, Ag signal with 12%, and Au signal with 38.26% of the Ag/Au BNPs. The Ag/Au BNPs showed an excellent antimicrobial efficacy against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, Actinomycetes meriye, Bacillus cereus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, Streptococcus pneumonia, and Gram-negative Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli, and Serratia marcescens bacterial strains, as well as against three fungal strains (Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Aspergillus flavus) compared to HH extract, HH-AgNPs, and HH-AuNPs. However, further investigations are recommended to be able to minimize potential risks of application.     

Green Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles of Psidium guajava Leaf Extract and Evaluation for Its Antidiabetic Activity

Diabetes mellitus (DM) and its complications are a severe public health concern due to the high incidence, morbidity, and mortality rates. The present study aims to synthesize and characterize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the aqueous leaf extract of Psidium guajava (PGE) for investigating its antidiabetic activity. Psidium guajava silver nanoparticles (PGAg NPs) were prepared and characterized by various parameters. The in vivo study was conducted using PGE and PGAg NPs in Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats to assess their antidiabetic properties. STZ of 55 mg/kg was injected to induce diabetes. The PGE, PGAg NPs at a dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg and standard drug Metformin (100 mg/kg) were administered daily to diabetic rats for 21 days through the oral route. Blood glucose level, body weight changes, lipid profiles, and histopathology of the rats’ liver and pancreas were examined. In the diabetic rats, PGE and PGAg NPs produced a drastic decrease in the blood glucose level, preventing subsequent weight loss and ameliorating lipid profile parameters. The histopathological findings revealed the improvements in pancreas and liver cells due to the repercussion of PGE and PGAg NPs. A compelling effect was observed in all doses of PGE and PGAg NPs; however, PGAg NPs exhibited a more promising result. Thus, from the results, it is concluded that the synthesized PGAg NPs has potent antidiabetic activity due to its enhanced surface area and smaller particle size of nanoparticles.     

结构型载体负载纳米银合成及催化性能

通过两步聚合法合成具有温度敏感性能的核-壳型聚(苯乙烯-N-异丙基丙烯酰胺)/N-异丙基丙烯酰胺共聚3-(甲基丙烯酰氧)丙基三甲氧基硅烷(P(St-NIPAM)/P(NIPAM-co-MPTMS))复合微凝胶材料.以经3-巯丙基-三甲氧基硅烷(MPS)表面修饰的复合微凝胶为载体,乙醇为还原剂,在温和条件下控制性还原制备纳米银微粒.通过扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)、傅里叶变换红外(FT-IR)光谱仪、X-射线光电子能谱(XPS)、X射线衍射(XRD)仪、热分析(TGA)和紫外-可见(UV-Vis)分光光度计等手段对P(St-NIPAM)/P(NIPAM-co-MPTMS)-(SH)Ag复合微凝胶的结构、组成和性质进行表征.同时,以硼氢化钠还原对硝基苯酚为模型反应,对该复合材料催化还原性能进行了评价.结果表明,载体含有巯基的有机-无机杂化网络结构的限域作用使原位合成的纳米银微粒的分散性较好.载体微凝胶壳层链节中无机组分MPTMS的引入在一定程度上降低了复合凝胶温敏性,但复合凝胶仍表现出催化还原反应的温敏性调控和良好的催化活性.以上实验结果与温敏性PNIPAM链节被无机网络分隔而有利于反应传质及壳层巯基对原位纳米银形成尺寸和空间分布的有效控制有关.本研究对功能性金属纳米催化复合材料的研究具有积极借鉴意义.     

Green Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles Using Myrsine africana Leaf Extract for Their Antibacterial,Antioxidant and Phytotoxic Activities

Nanotechnology is the study and control of materials at length scales between 1 and 100 nanometers (nm), where incredible phenomena enable new applications. It affects all aspects of human life and is the most active research topic in modern materials science. Among the various metallic nanoparticles used in biomedical applications, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are among the most important and interesting nanomaterials. The aim of this study was to synthesize AgNPs from the leaf extract of Myrsine africana to investigate their antibacterial, antioxidant, and phytotoxic activities. When the leaf extract was treated with AgNO₃, the color of the reaction solution changed from light brown to dark brown, indicating the formation of AgNPs. The UV-visible spectrum showed an absorption peak at 438 nm, confirming the synthesis of AgNPs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the AgNPs were spherical and oval with an average size of 28.32 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirms the presence of bio-compound functional groups on the surface of the AgNPs. The crystalline nature of the AgNPs was confirmed by XRD pattern. These biosynthesized AgNPs showed pronounced antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, with higher inhibitory activity against Escherichia coli. At 40 µg/mL AgNPs, the highest antioxidant activity was obtained, which was 57.7% and an IC50 value of 77.56 µg/mL. A significant positive effect was observed on all morphological parameters when AgNPs were applied to wheat seedlings under constant external conditions at the different concentrations. The present study provides a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method for the synthesis of AgNPs, which can be effectively used in the field of therapeutics, as antimicrobial and diagnostic agents, and as plant growth promoters.     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Antimicrobial Studies of Novel Benzodipyran Analog of Chloramphenicol

A synthesis, characterization, and antimicrobial study of a novel benzodipyran analog of chloramphenicol was carried out. Structure–antimicrobial activity relationship study indicates that benzodipyran analog of chloramphenicol was most active against Gram‐positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, and the fungal strains Rhizoctonia bataticola and Penicillium even at minimum inhibitory concentration 10 µg/mL and showed moderate activity in other bacterial and fungal organisms. All the compounds synthesized during the present investigation were characterized by IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, ESI‐MS, and elemental analysis.     

Green Synthesis,Characterization, and Antibacterial Properties of Silver Nanoparticles Obtained by Using Diverse Varieties of Cannabis sativa Leaf Extracts

Cannabis sativa L. (hemp) is a plant used in the textile industry and green building material industry, as well as for the phytoremediation of soil, medical treatments, and supplementary food products. The synergistic effect of terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids in hemp extracts may mediate the biogenic synthesis of metal nanoparticles. In this study, the chemical composition of aqueous leaf extracts of three varieties of Romanian hemp (two monoecious, and one dioecious) have been determined by Fourier-Transformed Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), high-performance liquid chromatography, and mass spectrometry (UHPLC-DAD-MS). Then, their capability to mediate the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and their pottential antibacterial applications were evaluated. The average antioxidant capacity of the extracts had 18.4 ± 3.9% inhibition determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH^•) and 78.2 ± 4.1% determined by 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS™) assays. The total polyphenolic content of the extracts was 1642 ± 32 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE) L⁻¹. After this, these extracts were reacted with an aqueous solution of AgNO₃ resulting in AgNPs, which were characterized by UV−VIS spectroscopy, FT-IR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDX), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The results demonstrated obtaining spherical, stable AgNPs with a diameter of less than 69 nm and an absorbance peak at 435 nm. The mixture of extracts and AgNPs showed a superior antioxidant capacity of 2.3 ± 0.4% inhibition determined by the DPPH^• assay, 88.5 ± 0.9% inhibition as determined by the ABTS^•+ assay, and a good antibacterial activity against several human pathogens: Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Staphylococcus aureus.     

银纳米粒子的一步合成与表征

在水和乙醇溶液中,以对巯基苯胺作为还原剂,利用一步法合成了银纳米微粒,并利用拉曼光谱仪考察了对巯基苯胺在银纳米微粒表面的自组装行为.结果表明,合成的银纳米微粒的形貌与介质的pH值密切相关;对巯基苯胺可在银纳米微粒表面自组装.     

Synthesis of Ciprofloxacin Drug Capped Silver Nanoparticles and Their Antimicrobial Activity: A Joint Spectrophotometric and Density Functional Investigation

Journal of Cluster Science - Ciprofloxacin drug caped silver nanoparticles (Cp-AgNPs) have been produced via fast, economical and one-pot synthesis method for the first time. An amply consumed...     

Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles from Rhizophora apiculata and Studies on Their Wound Healing,Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory,and Cytotoxic Activity

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have recently gained interest in the medical field because of their biological features. The present study aimed at screening Rhizophora apiculata secondary metabolites, quantifying their flavonoids and total phenolics content, green synthesis and characterization of R. apiculata silver nanoparticles. In addition, an assessment of in vitro cytotoxic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and wound healing activity of R. apiculata and its synthesized AgNPs was carried out. The powdered plant material (leaves) was subjected to Soxhlet extraction to obtain R. apiculata aqueous extract. The R. apiculata extract was used as a reducing agent in synthesizing AgNPs from silver nitrate. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized by UV-Vis, SEM-EDX, XRD, FTIR, particle size analyzer and zeta potential. Further aqueous leaf extract of R. apiculata and AgNPs was subjected for in vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, wound healing and cytotoxic activity against A375 (Skin cancer), A549 (Lung cancer), and KB-3-1 (Oral cancer) cell lines. All experiments were repeated three times (n = 3), and the results were given as the mean ± SEM. The flavonoids and total phenolics content in R. apiculata extract were 44.18 ± 0.086 mg/g of quercetin and 53.24 ± 0.028 mg/g of gallic acid, respectively. SEM analysis revealed R. apiculata AgNPs with diameters ranging from 35 to 100 nm. XRD confirmed that the synthesized silver nanoparticles were crystalline in nature. The cytotoxicity cell viability assay revealed that the AgNPs were less toxic (IC₅₀ 105.5 µg/mL) compared to the R. apiculata extract (IC₅₀ 47.47 µg/mL) against the non-cancerous fibroblast L929 cell line. Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxicity tests revealed that AgNPs had significantly more activity than the plant extract. The AgNPs inhibited protein denaturation by a mean percentage of 71.65%, which was equivalent to the standard anti-inflammatory medication diclofenac (94.24%). The AgNPs showed considerable cytotoxic effect, and the percentage of cell viability against skin cancer, lung cancer, and oral cancer cell lines was 31.84%, 56.09% and 22.59%, respectively. R. apiculata AgNPs demonstrated stronger cell migration and percentage of wound closure (82.79%) compared to the plant extract (75.23%). The overall results revealed that R. apiculata AgNPs exhibited potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, and cytotoxic properties. In future, R. apiculata should be further explored to unmask its therapeutic potential and the mechanistic pathways of AgNPs should be studied in detail in in vivo animal models.     

Synthesis and Antioxidant Activity of Silver Nanoparticles Using the Odontonema strictum Leaf Extract

The aqueous extract of the leaves of Odontonema strictum (OSM) is used in folk medicine for its antihypertensive properties, and it contains a wide range of secondary metabolites, mostly polyphenols such as verbascoside and isoverbascoside, which could play a major role in the preparation of silver nanoparticles. In this study, we aimed to prepare AgNPs for the first time using the OSM leaf extract (OSM-AgNPs) to investigate their free radical-scavenging potency against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Dynamic light scattering (DLS), UV/Vis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the OSM-AgNPs. With a size around 100 nm and a ζ-potential of −41.1 mV, OSM-AgNPs showed a good stability and a better colloidal property due to electrostatic repulsion and the dispersity. The strong absorption peak at 3 keV in the EDX spectra indicated that silver was the major constituent. Additionally, the existence of silver atoms was confirmed by the Ag 3d_5/2 peak around 367 eV in the XPS spectra. IC₅₀ values of 116 μg/mL and 4.4 μg/mL were obtained for the scavenging activities of DPPH and H₂O₂, respectively. The synthetic OSM-AgNPs can be further exploited as potential antioxidant agents.