Antilithiatic and antimicrobial activities of Synadenium grantii silver nanoparticles

Abstract

The green synthesis of nanoparticles has diverse applications across health care, agriculture, biomedical engineering and cosmetics. This study reports on the synthesis and evaluation of silver nanoparticles utilizing leaf extract from Synadenium grantii. The phytochemicals present in the S. grantii extract act as both reducing and capping agents for the formation of silver nanoparticles. The extract facilitates the reduction of silver ions to metallic silver. The conversion from cationic to metallic silver, along with particle size, was monitored using UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The morphology was confirmed through Transmission Electron Microscopy, revealing a distinct oval to quasi-spherical shape with an average size of 60.6 ± 19.3 nm. The antilithiatic potential of silver nanoparticles was evaluated using an in vitro agar gel assay, which showed a significant reduction in the zone of precipitation in the presence of silver nanoparticles (p < 0.001) compared to the crude plant leaf extract. Additionally, the silver nanoparticles exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii, with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 1 mg/ml, demonstrating enhanced antimicrobial efficacy over the crude plant extract (p < 0.001).