Antimicrobial and catalytic activities of biosynthesized gold, silver and palladium nanoparticles from Solanum nigurum leaves

Bioinspired and Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles for Medical Applications: A Green Perspective

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) possess unmatched chemical, biological, and physical properties that make them unique compounds as antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, and anticancer agents. With the increasing drug resistance, AgNPs serve as promising entities for targeted drug therapy against several bacterial, fungal, and viral components. In addition, AgNPs also serve as successful anticancer agents against several cancers, including breast, prostate, and lung cancers. Several works in recent years have been done towards the development of AgNPs by using plant extracts like flowers, leaves, bark, root, stem, and whole plant parts. The green method of AgNP synthesis thus has several advantages over chemical and physical methods, especially the low cost of synthesis, no toxic byproducts, eco-friendly production pathways, can be easily regenerated, and the bio-reducing potential of plant derived nanoparticles. Furthermore, AgNPs are biocompatible and do not harm normally functioning human or host cells. This review provides an exhaustive overview and potential of green synthesized AgNPs that can be used as antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, and anticancer agents. After a brief introduction, we discussed the recent studies on the development of AgNPs from different plant extracts, including leaf parts, seeds, flowers, stems, bark, root, and whole plants. In the following section, we highlighted the different therapeutic actions of AgNPs against various bacteria, fungi, viruses, and cancers, including breast, prostate, and lung cancers. We then highlighted the general mechanism of action of AgNPs. The advantages of the green synthesis method over chemical and physical methods were then discussed in the article. Finally, we concluded the review by providing future perspectives on this promising field in nanotechnology.

Review green synthesis of silver nanoparticles by using plant extracts and their antimicrobial activity

Interest in the biosynthesis of nanoparticles has increased in the last era by researchers. Nanoparticles have several applications in different fields like optoelectronics, magnetic devices, drug delivery, and sensors. Nanoparticle synthesis by green methods is safe for the environment and should be explored and encouraged popularly since various plants' have the high extent to form these nanoparticles. Worldwide, UV spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) besides Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) are used in many ways for characterize nanoparticles. The most advantageous use of AgNPs is their great attribution to be used as antimicrobial agents. Finally, concept of AgNPs synthesis is deserved to be the modern technical and medical concern. The current review shows a complete comprehensive and analytical survey of the biosynthesis of AgNPs with a particular focus on their activities as antimicrobials and the possible theories of their effect on the microbial cell and all influenced secondary metabolites.

Enhanced Antioxidant Activity and Reduced Cytotoxicity of Silver Nanoparticles Stabilized by Different Humic Materials

The current article describes the biological activity of new biomaterials combining the "green" properties of humic substances (HSs) and silver nanoparticles. The aim is to investigate the antioxidant activity (AOA) of HS matrices (macroligands) and AgNPs stabilized with humic macroligands (HS-AgNPs). The unique chemical feature of HSs makes them very promising ligands (matrices) for AgNP stabilization. HSs have previously been shown to exert many pharmacological effects mediated by their AOA. AgNPs stabilized with HS showed a pronounced ability to bind to reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the test with ABTS. Also, higher AOA was observed for HS-AgNPs as compared to the HS matrices. In vitro cytotoxicity studies have shown that the stabilization of AgNPs with the HS matrices reduces the cytotoxicity of AgNPs. As a result of in vitro experiments with the use of 2,7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA), it was found that all HS materials tested and the HS-AgNPs did not exhibit prooxidant effects. Moreover, more pronounced AOA was shown for HS-AgNP samples as compared to the original HS matrices. Two putative mechanisms of the pronounced AOA of the tested compositions are proposed: firstly, the pronounced ability of HSs to inactivate ROS and, secondly, the large surface area and surface-to-volume ratio of HS-AgNPs, which facilitate electron transfer and mitigate kinetic barriers to the reduction reaction. As a result, the antioxidant properties of the tested HS-AgNPs might be of particular interest for biomedical applications aimed at inhibiting the growth of bacteria and viruses and the healing of purulent wounds.

A Systemic Review on the Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications of Palladium Nanoparticles in Biomedicine

Palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) have been considered as a potential candidate in the field of biomedical applications due to its unique properties such as huge catalytic, hydrogen storage, and sensing behavior. Therefore, Pd NPs have shown to have a significant potential for the development of antimicrobials, wound healing, antioxidant, and anticancer property in recent days. There are plenty of reports that showed superior properties of noble metals. However, only very few studies have been undertaken to explore the advantage of Pd NPs in the field of biomedical applications. This review reports detailed and comprehensive studies comprising of the synthesis, characterization, and potential applications of Pd NPs in biomedicine. This report provides evidences in the literature documented by early researchers to understand the potential applications of Pd NPs to be explored in various fields.

Nanobiotechnological approaches in antinociceptive therapy: Animal-based evidence for analgesic nanotherapeutics of bioengineered silver and gold nanomaterials

Pain management is a major challenge in healthcare systems worldwide. Owing to undesirable side effects of current analgesic medications, there is an exceeding need to develop the effective alternative therapeutics. Nowadays, the application of nanomaterials is being highly considered, as their exceptional properties arising from the nanoscale dimensions are undeniable. With the increasing use of metal NPs, more biocompatible and costly methods of synthesis have been developed in which different biological rescores including microorganisms, plants and algae are employed. Nanobiotechnology-based synthesis of nanosized particles is an ecological approach offering safe production of nanoparticles (NPs) by biological resources eliminating the toxicity attributed to the conventional routes. This review provides an assessment of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as antinociceptive agents in recent studies. Living animal models (mice and rats) have been used for analyzing the effect of biogenic NPs on decreasing the nociceptive pain utilizing different methods such as acetic acid-induced writhing test, hot plate test, and formalin test. Potent analgesic activity exhibited by green fabricated AgNPs and AuNPs represents the bright future of nanotechnology in the management of pain and other social and medicinal issues followed by this unpleasant sensation. Moreover, there NPs showed a protective effects on liver, kidney, and body weight in animal models that make them attractive for clinical studies. However, further research is required to fully address the harmless antinociceptive effect of NPs for clinical usage.

Series of Dual Functional Two-Dimensional RE-OFs for Nitrophenol Reduction and Dye Separation

The rational design and preparation of stable and multifunctional metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with excellent catalysis and adsorption properties are desirable but are great challenges. The nitrophenol (NP) reduction to aminophenols (APs) by using the catalyst Pd@MOFs is an effective strategy, which has attracted extensive attention in recent years. Here, we report four stable isostructural two-dimensional (2D) rare earth metal-organic frameworks [RE₄(AAPA)₆(DMA)₂ (H₂O)₄][DMA]₃[H₂O]₈ (namely LCUH-101, RE = Eu, Gd, Tb, Y; AAPA^2- = 5-[(anthracen-9-yl-methyl)-amino]-1,3-isophthalate), which feature a 2D layer structure with sql topology of point symbol {4⁴·6²} and exhibit excellent chemical stability and thermostability. The as-synthesized Pd@LCUH-101 was utilized for the catalytic reduction of 2/3/4-nitrophenol, which indicates high catalytic activity and recyclability attributed to the synergistic effect between Pd nanoparticles and the 2D layered structure. Of note, the turnover frequency (TOF), the reaction rate constant (k), and the activation energy (E_a) of Pd@LCUH-101 (Eu) in the reduction of 4-NP, respectively, are 1.09 s^-1, 2.17 min^-1, and 50.2 kJ·mol^-1, which show that it has superior catalytic activity. Remarkably, LCUH-101 (Eu, Gd, Tb, and Y) are multifunctional MOFs that can effectively absorb and separate mixed dyes. The appropriate interlayer spacing enables them to efficiently adsorb methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RhB) in aqueous solution, with adsorption capacities of 0.97 and 0.41 g·g^-1, respectively, which is one of the highest values among those of the reported MOF-based adsorbers. Meanwhile, LCUH-101 (Eu) can be used for the separation of the dye mixture MB/MO and RhB/MO, and the excellent reusability enables LCUH-101 (Eu) to be used as chromatographic column filters to quickly separate and recover dyes. Therefore, this work provides a new strategy for the exploitation of stable and efficient catalysts for NP reduction and adsorbents for dyes.

Adsorption and removal of ethidium bromide from aqueous solution using optimized biogenic catalytically active antibacterial palladium nanoparticles

Due to being low cost and eco-friendly, biological nanomaterial synthesis and development have made broad spectral progress. This study aimed to optimize the phytomediated synthesis of catalytically active, antibacterial palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) for adsorption-based removal of ethidium bromide (EtBr) from an aqueous solution. Optimization of synthesis demonstrated that a precursor to extract ratio of 4:1, pH 3, and incubation at 80 °C for 60 min were the optimum conditions that led to the synthesis of negatively charged, highly stable, polycrystalline, spherical, and monodispersed PdNPs of 5-10 nm. When tested as catalysts, PdNPs successfully catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling between aryl halides and arylboronic acids resulting in the synthesis of 4-acetylbiphenyl. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity test demonstrated that biogenic PdNPs were most effective and potent against Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus vulgaris followed by Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus cereus. In addition, PdNPs were found as an excellent adsorbent for adsorption of EtBr from water as the adsorption reaction obeyed pseudo-second-order kinetics with a linear regression coefficient (R² > 0.995). The adsorption reaction fitted well with the Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models, indicating multi-layer adsorption. Estimating thermodynamic parameters resulted in a positive value of ΔH⁰ and ΔG⁰, demonstrating adsorption was non-spontaneous and endothermic.

Azadirachta indica leaf extract mediated silver nanoparticles impregnated nano composite film (AgNP/MCC/starch/whey protein) for food packaging applications

In order to be used in food packaging, the study aims to develop a composite film based on microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and coated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The MCC was derived from sugar cane bagasse. Protein, starch, and poly-ethylene glycol 1500 (PEG-1500) are employed to improve the tensile strength, flexibility, and durability of the packaging film. The AgNPs was synthesized by a green route employing Azadirachtaindica leaf extract as reducing agent. The determined average crystallite size of AgNPs was seen at 20 nm. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies of the final film prepared have an elevated peak with a crystallinity of 37.5%. The scanning electron microscopic images (SEM) of the AgNPs and the prepared samples, reveal their surface morphology. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic studies (FT-IR) disclose the functional group changes during the film preparation. The antibacterial activity of the amalgamated AgNPs against five bacterial pathogens studied was found to be highly active against tested food pathogens, except for Proteus vulgari. When coated over a vegetable, the produced nanocomposite film displayed an increased shelf life for the vegetable by limiting the decay impact caused by food pathogens. According to the findings, the AgNPs-impregnated MCC/Starch/Whey protein has the potential to be employed as an antimicrobial packaging material.

Mechanism and Antibacterial Activity of Gold Nanoparticles (AuNPs) Functionalized with Natural Compounds from Plants

Recently, the biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) has been widely studied and described. In the age of bacterial drug resistance, an intensive search for new agents with antibacterial properties or a new form of antibiotics with effective action is necessary. As a result, the antibacterial activity of AuNPs functionalized with natural compounds is being investigated more frequently. AuNPs biosynthesized with plant extract or functionalized with bioactive compounds isolated from plants could be particularly useful for pharmaceutical applications. The biosynthesized AuNPs are stabilized by an envelope, which may consist of flavonoids, phenolic acids, lipids and proteins as well as carbohydrates and vitamins. The composition of the natural coating affects the size, shape and stability of the AuNPs and is also responsible for interactions with the bacterial cell wall. Recently, several mechanisms of AuNP interactions with bacterial cells have been identified. Nevertheless, they are not yet well understood, due to the large diversity of plants and biosynthesized AuNPs. Understanding the antibacterial mechanisms allows for the creation of pharmaceutical formulations in the most useful form. Utilizing AuNPs functionalized with plant compounds as antibacterial agents is still a new concept. However, the unique physicochemical and biological properties of AuNPs emphasises their potential for a broad range of applications in the future.

Synthesis methods and applications of palladium nanoparticles: A review

Palladium (Pd) is a key component of many catalysts. Nanoparticles (NPs) offer a larger surface area than bulk materials, and with Pd cost increasing 5-fold in the last 10 years, Pd NPs are in increasing demand. Due to novel or enhanced physicochemical properties that Pd NPs exhibit at the nanoscale, Pd NPs have a wide range of applications not only in chemical catalysis, but also for example in hydrogen sensing and storage, and in medicine in photothermal, antibacterial, and anticancer therapies. Pd NPs, on the industrial scale, are currently synthesized using various chemical and physical methods. The physical methods require energy-intensive processes that include maintaining high temperatures and/or pressure. The chemical methods usually involve harmful solvents, hazardous reducing or stabilizing agents, or produce toxic pollutants and by-products. Lately, more environmentally friendly approaches for the synthesis of Pd NPs have emerged. These new approaches are based on the use of the reducing ability of phytochemicals and other biomolecules to chemically reduce Pd ions and form NPs. In this review, we describe the common physical and chemical methods used for the synthesis of Pd NPs and compare them to the plant- and bacteria-mediated biogenic synthesis methods. As size and shape determine many of the unique properties of Pd NPs on the nanoscale, special emphasis is given to the control of these parameters, clarifying how they impact current and future applications of this exciting nanomaterial.

New Green Approaches in Nanoparticles Synthesis: An Overview

Nanotechnology is constantly expanding, with nanomaterials being more and more used in common commercial products that define our modern life. Among all types of nanomaterials, nanoparticles (NPs) occupy an important place, considering the great amount that is produced nowadays and the diversity of their applications. Conventional techniques applied to synthesize NPs have some issues that impede them from being appreciated as safe for the environment and health. The alternative to these might be the use of living organisms or biological extracts that can be involved in the green approach synthesis of NPs, a process that is free of harmful chemicals, cost-effective and a low energy consumer. Several factors, including biological reducing agent concentration, initial precursor salt concentration, agitation, reaction time, pH, temperature and light, can influence the characteristics of biologically synthesized NPs. The interdependence between these reaction parameters was not explored, being the main impediment in the implementation of the biological method on an industrial scale. Our aim is to present a brief review that focuses on the current knowledge regarding how the aforementioned factors can control the size and shape of green-synthesized NPs. We also provide an overview of the biomolecules that were found to be suitable for NP synthesis. This work is meant to be a support for researchers who intend to develop new green approaches for the synthesis of NPs.

Plant-Actuated Micro-Nanorobotics Platforms: Structural Designs, Functional Prospects, and Biomedical Applications

Plants are anatomically and physiologically different from humans and animals; however, there are several possibilities to utilize the unique structures and physiological systems of plants and adapt them to new emerging technologies through a strategic biomimetic approach. Moreover, plants provide safe and sustainable results that can potentially solve the problem of mass-producing practical materials with hazardous and toxic side effects, particularly in the biomedical field, which requires high biocompatibility. In this review, it is investigated how micro-nanostructures available in plants (e.g., nanoparticles, nanofibers and their composites, nanoporous materials, and natural micromotors) are adapted and utilized in the design of suitable materials for a micro-nanorobot platform. How plants' work on micro- and nanoscale systems (e.g., surface roughness, osmotically induced movements such as nastic and tropic, and energy conversion and harvesting) that are unique to plants, can provide functionality on the platform and become further prospective resources are examined. Furthermore, implementation across organisms and fields, which is promising for future practical applications of the plant-actuated micro-nanorobot platform, especially on biomedical applications, is discussed. Finally, the challenges following its implementation in the micro-nanorobot platform are also presented to provide advanced adaptation in the future.

A Critical Review of the Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activities of Green-Synthesized Plant-Based Metallic Nanoparticles

Metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) produced by green synthesis using plant extracts have attracted huge interest in the scientific community due to their excellent antibacterial, antifungal and antibiofilm activities. To evaluate these pharmacological properties, several methods or protocols have been successfully developed and implemented. Although these protocols were mostly inspired by the guidelines from national and international regulatory bodies, they suffer from a glaring absence of standardization of the experimental conditions. This situation leads to a lack of reproducibility and comparability of data from different study settings. To minimize these problems, guidelines for the antimicrobial and antibiofilm evaluation of MNPs should be developed by specialists in the field. Being aware of the immensity of the workload and the efforts required to achieve this, we set out to undertake a meticulous literature review of different experimental protocols and laboratory conditions used for the antimicrobial and antibiofilm evaluation of MNPs that could be used as a basis for future guidelines. This review also brings together all the discrepancies resulting from the different experimental designs and emphasizes their impact on the biological activities as well as their interpretation. Finally, the paper proposes a general overview that requires extensive experimental investigations to set the stage for the future development of effective antimicrobial MNPs using green synthesis.

Methods for Green Synthesis of Metallic Nanoparticles Using Plant Extracts and their Biological Applications - A Review

Nanotechnology, a fast-developing branch of science, is gaining extensive popularity among researchers simply because of the multitude of applications it can offer. In recent years, biological synthesis has been widely used instead of physical and chemical synthesis methods, which often produce toxic products. These synthesis methods are now being commonly adapted to discover new applications of nanoparticles synthesized using plant extracts. In this review, we elucidate the various ways by which nanoparticles can be biologically synthesized. We further discuss the applications of these nanoparticles.

An efficient biosynthesis of palladium nanoparticles using Bael gum and evaluation of their catalytic and antibacterial activity

We report a facile microwave-assisted synthesis of palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) using Bael gum (BG) and it's carboxymethylated (CMBG) derivative. The prepared nanoparticles (BG@PdNPs and CMBG@PdNPs) were evaluated for antibacterial and catalytic activity in the reduction of organic dye pollutants. The developed synthetic method is simple, low cost and eco-friendly, wherein the process requires no additional reducing or capping agents. The CMBG was prepared via etherification reaction between BG and monochloroacetic acid using Williamson synthesis method. The PdNPs were synthesized using BG and CMBG as stabilizers and reducing agents. The PdNPs were found to be well dispersed spherical, with the crystalline size of the order of 7-21 nm. The results showed that the CMBG@PdNPs were smaller in size (7 ± 2 nm) than those capped with BG@PdNPs (10 ± 2 nm). The catalytic ability of CMBG@PdNPs was examined for the reduction of Methyl Orange (MO), Methyl Red(MR), and Rhodamine-B (RhB) in the presence of NaBH₄. The results showed that CMBG@PdNPs exhibited a higher catalytic ability than BG@PdNPs. Moreover, it was found that CMBG@PdNPs served several times as a retrievable and reusable catalyst which is stable even after six cycles of reaction. The CMBG@PdNPs and BG@PdNPs showed excellent antibacterial activity. The results indicate that CMBG@PdNPs have greater potential application as a catalyst in the reduction of organic pollutants and antibacterial activity.

Recent advances on therapeutic potentials of gold and silver nanobiomaterials for human viral diseases

Viral diseases are prominent among the widely spread infections threatening human well-being. Real-life clinical successes of the few available therapeutics are challenged by pathogenic resistance and suboptimal delivery to target sites. Nanotechnology has aided the design of functionalised and non-functionalised Au and Ag nanobiomaterials through physical, chemical and biological (green synthesis) methods with improved antiviral efficacy and delivery. In this review, innovative designs as well as interesting antiviral activities of the nanotechnology-inclined biomaterials of Au and Ag, reported in the last 5 years were critically overviewed against several viral diseases affecting man. These include influenza, respiratory syncytial, adenovirus, severe acute respiratory syndromes (SARS), rotavirus, norovirus, measles, chikungunya, HIV, herpes simplex virus, dengue, polio, enterovirus and rift valley fever virus. Notably identified among the nanotechnologically designed promising antiviral agents include AuNP-M2e peptide vaccine, AgNP of cinnamon bark extract and AgNP of oseltamivir for influenza, PVP coated AgNP for RSV, PVP-AgNPs for SARS-CoV-2, AuNRs of a peptide pregnancy-induce d hypertension and AuNP nanocarriers of antigen for MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV respectively. Others are AgNPs of collagen and Bacillus subtilis for rotavirus, AgNPs labelled Ag30-SiO 2 for murine norovirus in water, AuNPs of Allium sativum and AgNPs of ribavirin for measles, AgNPs of Citrus limetta and Andrographis Paniculata for Chikungunya, AuNPs of efavirenz and stavudine, and AgNPs-curcumin for HIV, NPAuG3-S8 for HSV, AgNPs of Moringa oleifera and Bruguiera cylindrica for dengue while AgNPs of polyethyleneimine and siRNA analogues displayed potency against enterovirus. The highlighted candidates are recommended for further translational studies towards antiviral therapeutic designs.

Synthesis of silver nanoparticles using bio valorization coffee waste extract: photocatalytic flow-rate performance, antibacterial activity, and electrochemical investigation

It is well known that biogenic synthesis, as compared to other processes, has proven to be highly effective in the fabrication of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Thus, our current study focused on synthesizing AgNPs using coffee waste extract (CWE). CWE contains many compounds identified by HPLC, which reduce, cap, and stabilize AgNPs in its solution. The as-synthesized AgNPs were produced with a monodispersed small size around 20 nm and exhibited in-plane dipole plasmon resonances of hexagonal nanoplates. AgNPs were characterized by both physical and spectroscopic methods, which confirmed their nanoscale dimensions with a hexagonal shape. The as-prepared AgNPs (12 mg) enabled the photodegradation of phenol compounds (20 mL) with a removal efficiency of ~ 94.6% in a short time in the presence of citric acid. Additionally, the second promising application of AgNPs was the tendency to remove the hazard 2,4 dinitroaniline (2,4 DNA) with a percent more than 97% while using only 7 mg of AgNPs. Moreover, the green synthesized AgNPs are superior in inhibiting bacterial growth and killing most infected microbes such as B. subtilis, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and E. coli. The electrochemical characteristics of the AgNPs were evaluated using a three-electrode system. The calculated specific capacitance was 280 F g-1 at 0.56 A g-1. Furthermore, after 1000 cycles at 2.2 A g-1, the AgNPs electrode demonstrates an excellent cycling stability behavior with 94.8% capacitance retention. Based on the previous promising results, it can be concluded that CWE is an environmentally benign extract to prepare AgNPs with low cost, saving and easily used for many great domains in photocatalytic, phenol compound removals, and production of functional nanodevices.

Gold Nanoparticles: Biosynthesis and Potential of Biomedical Application

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are extremely promising objects for solving a wide range of biomedical problems. The gold nanoparticles production by biological method ("green synthesis") is eco-friendly and allows minimization of the amount of harmful chemical and toxic byproducts. This review is devoted to the AuNPs biosynthesis peculiarities using various living organisms (bacteria, fungi, algae, and plants). The participation of various biomolecules in the AuNPs synthesis and the influence of size, shapes, and capping agents on the functionalities are described. The proposed action mechanisms on target cells are highlighted. The biological activities of "green" AuNPs (antimicrobial, anticancer, antiviral, etc.) and the possibilities of their further biomedical application are also discussed.

Environmental photochemistry in Solanum trilobatum mediated plasmonic nanoparticles as a probe for the detection of Cd2+ ions in water

Nowadays world deals with a lot of environmental troubles out of which water pollution is very dangerous. Water gets contaminated by heavy metal ions is a universal problem which needs suitable consideration to keep up the quality of the water. It will be advantageous that an easy device can be detecting the concentration of heavy metal ions in water. Here, a contaminant, cadmium from industrial affluent into water is considered and focused. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been synthesized by Solanum trilobatum leaf extract and its applications of antifungal and sensing activity was reported here. The influences of different concentration of these reducing agent on the synthesis of AuNPs (G5 and G10) have been evaluated. The structural, optical, vibrational, morphological and compositional properties of the AuNPs were studied through XRD, UV-vis spectra, FTIR, HRTEM and EDAX analysis. The optical studies showed surface plasmon absorbance peak at 526 nm. It shows that the absorbance of the peak becomes narrow with a higher concentration of leaf extract. XRD results showed the average size of the AuNPs was 8 nm. It also confirmed the high crystallinity of nanoparticles. FTIR exposes that amine and carboxyl groups may be involved in the stabilization and reduction mechanism. TEM pictures of both G10 and G5 demonstrate merely spherical nanoparticles. This morphology control is taken place owing to the adsorbed amine and carboxyl groups onto the gold nanoparticles cap the particles and improve the stability. The presence of gold elements in the sample was identified with the help of EDAX. The sensitivity of the system towards various Cd²⁺ concentrations was measured as 0.058/mM for G5 and 0.095/mM for G10. The prepared nanoparticles produced highest zone of inhibition (ZOI) of 17.5 mm and 19 mm against human being pathogenic fungi Aspergillus Flavus and Candida albicans respectively. Here, small sized spherical nanoparticles showed good antifungal activity.

The exploitation of rice husk biomass for the bio-inspired synthesis of gold nanoparticles as a multifunctional material for various biological and photocatalytic applications

We report an efficient and facile approach to biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using the extract of an agro-waste rice husk generated from rice production. The biosynthesized NPs produced were characterized by UV-Visible absorption, TEM, XRD, EDX, and FTIR methods. The impact of temperature and pH on the stability of the synthesized AuNPs was also studied. The TEM imaging revealed the formation of monodispersed spherical NPs with an average size of ~ 15 nm. The absorption spectrum of AuNPs demonstrated the formation of Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) peak at 530 nm. The XRD pattern suggested the formation of face-centered cubic (FCC) lattice structure of AuNPs. The FTIR analysis displayed characteristic peaks related to various phytochemicals in the plant extract responsible for reducing and stabilizing NPs. In addition, AuNPs showed thermal stability when subjected to various temperature scales. The AuNPs exhibited an efficiency against the pathogenic bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and pathogenic fungi Candida albicans. The AuNPs 18.5% DPPH free scavenging activity, indicating the antioxidant potential for AuNPs. In addition, the AuNPs showed anticancer activity against the colorectal adenocarcinoma carcinoma cell line. Furthermore, AuNPs displayed significant enhancement in photocatalytic degradation of Methylene Blue and 4-Nitrophenol dyes. The results obtained reveal the possible usage of AuNPs produced using rice husk in several biomedical applications.

Potentialities of bioinspired metal and metal oxide nanoparticles in biomedical sciences

To date, various reports have shown that metallic gold bhasma at the nanoscale form was used as medicine as early as 2500 B.C. in India, China, and Egypt. Owing to their unique physicochemical, biological, and electronic properties, they have broad utilities in energy, environment, agriculture and more recently, the biomedical field. The biomedical domain has been used in drug delivery, imaging, diagnostics, therapeutics, and biosensing applications. In this review, we will discuss and highlight the increasing control over metal and metal oxide nanoparticle structures as smart nanomaterials utilized in the biomedical domain to advance the role of biosynthesized nanoparticles for improving human health through wide applications in the targeted drug delivery, controlled release drug delivery, wound dressing, tissue scaffolding, and medical implants. In addition, we have discussed concerns related to the role of these types of nanoparticles as an anti-viral agent by majorly highlighting the ways to combat the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, along with their prospects.

Highly efficient Ti3+ self-doped TiO2 co-modified with carbon dots and palladium nanocomposites for disinfection of bacterial and fungi

High efficiency photocatalysts capable of disinfecting a broad-spectrum microorganisms are needed for the practical application of photodisinfection technology. Herein, we synthesized a highly efficient photodisinfection catalyst composed of Ti³⁺ self-doped TiO₂ decorated with carbon dots (CDs) and palladium nano-photocatalyst, designated as Pd/CDs/Ti³⁺-TiO₂, via a facile hydrothermal-calcination approach. XPS and ESR analyses were performed to verify that the composite contained Ti³⁺, while TEM imaging and FTIR confirmed that the samples contained CDs. The as synthesized photocatalysts, particularly the 1% Pd/CDs/Ti³⁺-TiO₂ sample, exhibited superior photocatalyzed antibacterial activity to pure TiO₂ against E. coli (～6.5 orders of magnitude increase at 30 min). The 1% Pd/CDs/Ti³⁺-TiO₂ photocatalyst also exhibited efficient photodisinfection of five pathogenic agricultural fungi. The dark cytotoxicity of the 1% Pd/CDs/Ti³⁺-TiO₂ nanocomposites was evaluated on HepG2 and Chinese hamster lung (V₇₉) cells via Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and found to be minimal. Lastly, the recycling capacity for the photodisinfective activity of the nanocomposites was evaluated and found to be unchanged after five cycles. Four active species were identified as contributing to the photoinduced antimicrobial activity of the catalyst: h⁺, •O₂^-, •OH, and e^-. Together, our results indicate that Pd/CDs/Ti³⁺-TiO₂ nanocomposites have great potential in agricultural plant pathogen disinfection.

Synthesis and characterization of palladium nanoparticles by chemical and green methods: A comparative study on hepatic toxicity using zebrafish as an animal model

Nanoparticles synthesized by chemical methods are of a matter of concern, whereas, the green methods are said to be eco-friendly and environmentally safe. In this study, the toxicity of palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) synthesized through chemical co-precipitation and green route method using Annona squamosa seed kernels (As-Pd NPs) were evaluated using zebrafish as an animal model. The synthesized nanoparticles (NPs) were characterized using UV-Visible spectroscopy, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Zeta potential. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to 0.4 ng/L of Pd NPs and As-Pd NPs for 96-h, further oxidative stress parameters and histological changes were evaluated. The superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) activity and the lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels were elevated in the Pd NPs groups. But in the As-Pd NPs group, the SOD activity showed a biphasic nature while the CAT activity gradually declined till the 96-h compared to the control and Pd NPs groups. The LPO levels in the As-Pd NPs groups showed a measurable increase till 72-h and sudden decline at the end of 96-h. Anomalies in the histological changes such as ruptured hepatocytes, sinusoidal congestion, vacuolation and accumulation of erythrocytes were observed in both the NPs treated groups but As-Pd NPs exhibited lesser lesions than the control and Pd NPs groups. However, our present study reveals the possible reliability of the nanoparticles and the mechanism of scavenging activity suggesting that the As-Pd NPs synthesized by green route are less toxic comparing to the chemically synthesized Pd NPs.

Bioengineered Matricaria recutita Extract-Assisted Palladium Nanoparticles for the Congo Red Dye Degradation and Catalytic Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol to 4-Aminophenol

The green chemistry method is the preferred approach for synthesizing metal and metal oxide nanoparticles because of its low toxicity, environmental friendliness, feasibility, and safety to human health compared with other chemical or physical methods. The present work reports the phytogenic synthesis of palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) using an aqueous extract of Matricaria recutita (Chamomile). The phytochemical-mediated synthesis of PdNPs is an economical and eco-friendly approach without using toxic elements as reducing and capping or stabilizing agents. The UV-visible spectroscopic characterization was initially used to confirm the preparation of PdNPs using an aqueous extract of M. recutita flowers as a bioreductant for the reduction of Pd2+ to Pd0 without using any extra capping and reducing agents. The appearance of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak at 286 nm confirmed the formation of M. recutita extract-based PdNPs. Furthermore, the PdNPs were characterized by TEM, SEM, EDX, XRD, XPS, and FTIR to confirm their proper synthesis. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was implemented to interpret the decomposition pattern and thermal stability of as-synthesized PdNPs. The biosynthesized PdNPs were further applied as a nanocatalyst in degradation of an azo dye Congo red (CR) in the presence of NaBH4. The catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) was also investigated in the presence of NaBH4. All the catalytic reactions were performed in water, and no significant loss in catalytic activity was observed after recovery and reusability of the biosynthesized PdNPs.

Sonochemical activation-assisted biosynthesis of Au/Fe3O4 nanoparticles and sonocatalytic degradation of methyl orange

In this research, a sonochemical activation-assisted biosynthesis of Au/Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles is proposed. The proposed synthesis methodology incorporates the use of Piper auritum (an endemic plant) as reducing agent and in a complementary way, an ultrasonication process to promote the synthesis of the plasmonic/magnetic nanoparticles (Au/Fe₃O₄). The synergic effect of the green and sonochemical synthesis favors the well-dispersion of precursor salts and the subsequent growth of the Au/Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles. The hybrid green/sonochemical process generates an economical, ecological and simplified alternative to synthesizing Au/Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles whit enhanced catalytic activity, pronounced magnetic properties. The morphological, chemical and structural characterization was carried out by high- resolution Scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-Ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) and X-ray photoelectron (XPS) spectroscopy confirm the Au/Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles obtention. The magnetic properties were evaluated by a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Superparamagnetic behavior, of the Au/ Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles was observed (M_s = 51 emu/g and H_c = 30 Oe at 300 K). Finally, the catalytic activity was evaluated by sonocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO). In this stage, it was possible to achieve a removal percentage of 91.2% at 15 min of the sonocatalytic process (160 W/42 kHz). The initial concentration of the MO was 20 mg L^-1, and the Fe3O4-Au dosage was 0.075 gL^-1. The MO degradation process was described mathematically by four kinetic adsorption models: Pseudo-first order model, Pseudo-second order model, Elovich and intraparticle diffusion model.

Green synthesized Silver Nanoparticles as Silver Lining in Antimicrobial Resistance: A Review

Unprincipled use of antibiotics has led to the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) against mostly available compounds and now become a major cause of concern for the scientific community. However, in the past decade, green synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have received greater attention for the development of newer therapies as antimicrobials by virtue of their unique physico-chemical properties. Unlike traditional antibiotics, AgNPs exert their action by acting on multiple mechanisms which make them potential candidates against AMR. Green synthesis of AgNPs using various medicinal plants has demonstrated broader spectrum of action against several microbes in a number of attempts. The present paper provides an insight into the scientific studies that have elucidated the positive role of plant extracts/phytochemicals during green synthesis of AgNPs and their future perspectives. The studies conducted so far seem promising still, a few factors like, the precise mechanism of action of AgNPs, their synergistic interaction with biomolecules, and industrial scalability need to be explored further till effective drug development using green synthesized AgNPs in healthcare systems against AMR is established.

Green synthesis, characterization, enhanced functionality and biological evaluation of silver nanoparticles based on Coriander sativum

The present study focused on the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles from Coriander sativum (CS) containing structural polymers, phenolic compounds and glycosidic bioactive macromolecules. Plant phenolic compounds can act as antioxidants, lignin, and attractants like flavonoids and carotenoids. Henceforth, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared extracellularly by the combinatorial action of stabilizing and reduction of the CS leaf extract. The biologically synthesized CS-AgNPs were studied by UV-spectroscopy, zeta potential determination, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis to characterize and confirm the formation of crystalline nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles demonstrated strong antimicrobial activity against all microbial strains examined with varying degrees. The scavenging action on free radicals by CS-AgNPs showed strong antioxidant efficiency with superoxide and hydroxyl radicals at different concentrations as compared with standard ascorbic acid. The presence of in vitro anticancer effect was confirmed at different concentrations on the MCF-7 cell line as revealed with decrease in cell viability which was proportionately related to the concentration of CS-AgNPs illustrating the toxigenic nature of synthesized nanoparticles on cancerous cells.

In situ growth gold nanoparticles in three-dimensional sugarcane membrane for flow catalytical and antibacterial application

In this work, we decorated gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) in the porous, three-dimensional sugarcane membrane for the flow catalytical and antibacterial application. Due to the uniformly distributed Au NPs in sugarcane channels and the porous structure of sugarcane, the interaction between contaminant and catalysis was enhanced as water flowing through the Au NPs/sugarcane membrane. The Au NPs/sugarcane membrane exhibited superior catalytical efficiency for removing methylene blue (MB) with a turn over frequency of 0.27 mol_MB·mol_Au^-1·min^-1 and the water treatment rate reached up to 1.15×10⁵ L/m² h with >98.3 % MB removal efficiency. The Au NPs/sugarcane membrane also exhibited superior bacterial removal efficiency as E. coli suspension flowing through it, due to the superimposition effects of physical barrier in sugarcane and the antibacterial property of Au NPs. The tremendous catalytical and antibacterial performance of Au NPs/sugarcane membrane provides a promising potential for the rational design of flow catalytical membrane reactor to purify the microbial contaminated water.

Bioavailability and antioxidant activity of nanotechnology-based botanic antioxidants

Botanic bioactive substances have issues with their solubility, stability, and oral bioavailability in the application, which could be improved by nanotechnologies. In another hands, green synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) with plant extract is also a promising technology for preparation of NPs due to its safety advantage, yet the bioactive botanic substances that could be more than the assistant of the green synthesis of NPs. Based on the above concerns, this review summarized the preparation of botanic NPs with various plant extract, their solubility, stability, and oral bioavailability; specific attention has been paid to the botanic Ag/Au NPs, their capacity of antioxidant, bioavailability, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer.

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using plant extracts and their antimicrobial activities: a review of recent literature

Synthesis of metal nanoparticles using plant extracts is one of the most simple, convenient, economical, and environmentally friendly methods that mitigate the involvement of toxic chemicals. Hence, in recent years, several eco-friendly processes for the rapid synthesis of silver nanoparticles have been reported using aqueous extracts of plant parts such as the leaf, bark, roots, etc. This review summarizes and elaborates the new findings in this research domain of the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using different plant extracts and their potential applications as antimicrobial agents covering the literature since 2015. While highlighting the recently used different plants for the synthesis of highly efficient antimicrobial green AgNPs, we aim to provide a systematic in-depth discussion on the possible influence of the phytochemicals and their concentrations in the plants extracts, extraction solvent, and extraction temperature, as well as reaction temperature, pH, reaction time, and concentration of precursor on the size, shape and stability of the produced AgNPs. Exhaustive details of the plausible mechanism of the interaction of AgNPs with the cell wall of microbes, leading to cell death, and high antimicrobial activities have also been elaborated. The shape and size-dependent antimicrobial activities of the biogenic AgNPs and the enhanced antimicrobial activities by synergetic interaction of AgNPs with known commercial antibiotic drugs have also been comprehensively detailed.

Multifunctional glycerol/citric acid crosslinked polymer hydrophilic gel with absorptive and reducing properties

Multifunctional hydrogel based on glycerol/citric acid presents absorptive and reducing capacities, affording a hybrid gel containing AgNPs in the matrix.

Application potential of biogenically synthesized silver nanoparticles using Lythrum salicaria L. extracts as pharmaceuticals and catalysts for organic pollutant degradation

This study was designed to evaluate the optimal conditions for the eco-friendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Lythrum salicaria L. (Lythraceae) aqueous extracts and their potential application and safe use. AgNPs synthesized using L. salicaria aerial parts (LSA-AgNPs) and root extract (LSR-AgNPs) were characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDS), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used for the determination of the size distribution profiles of the obtained nanoparticles. Both L. salicaria extracts showed high phenolic content, while the flavone C-glucosides orientin, vitexin, and isovitexin were detected in extracts using HPLC. The synthesized AgNPs displayed growth inhibition of the tested bacteria and fungi in concentrations between 0.156 and 1.25 mg mL⁻¹. The studied nanoparticles also showed antioxidant potential and gained selectivity at different concentrations on different cancer cell lines. Concentrations of LSA-AgNPs were found to be 20.5 and 12 μg mL⁻¹ towards A431 and SVT2, respectively, while LSR-AgNPs were effective only against A431 cancer cells (62 μg mL⁻¹). The hemolytic activity of LSA-AgNPs in concentrations up to 150 μg mL⁻¹ was not observed, while LSR-AgNPs in the highest applied concentration hemolyzed 2.8% of erythrocytes. The degradation possibility of Congo red and 4-nitrophenol using LSA-AgNPs and LSR-AgNPs as catalysts was also proven. The results indicate that L. salicaria may be used for the eco-friendly synthesis of AgNPs with possible applications as antimicrobial and selective cytotoxic agents towards cancer cell lines, as well as in catalytic degradation of pollutants.

This study was designed to evaluate the optimal conditions for the eco-friendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Lythrum salicaria L. (Lythraceae) aqueous extracts and their potential application and safe use.

Platinum Nanoparticles: Green Synthesis and Biomedical Applications

Platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) have superior physicochemical properties and great potential in biomedical applications. Eco-friendly and economic approaches for the synthesis of PtNPs have been developed to overcome the shortcomings of the traditional physical and chemical methods. Various biogenic entities have been utilized in the green synthesis of PtNPs, including mainly plant extracts, algae, fungi bacteria, and their biomedical effects were assessed. Other biological derivatives have been used in the synthesis of PtNPs such as egg yolk, sheep milk, honey, and bovine serum albumin protein. The green approaches for the synthesis of PtNPs have reduced the reaction time, the energy required, and offered ambient conditions of fabrication. This review highlights the state-of-the-art methods used for green synthesis of PtNPs, synthesis parameters, and their reported biomedical applications.