Abstract

GREEN SYNTHESIS OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES USING AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF LEAVES OF SALACIA GAMBLEANA AND ITS EVALUATION OF ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY

Bharath Nair, G. Lija, K. Saranya and G. E. Mallikarjunaswamy*

ABSTRACT

Plant extract is rich in bioactive compounds with immense potential in medicinal field. Eco-friendly methods for efficient synthesis of plant products pave an alternative for potentially expensive chemicals and silver nanoparticle synthesis proves an exceptional approach. In this view, the main objective was focussed on simplified synthesis of silver nanoparticles using aqueous extract of Salacia gambleana leaf at room temperature. The silver nanoparticles synthesised were characterised by UV-Vis Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). TEM resulted in the average size of silver nanoparticles between 20-40nm and possessed a spherical shape. Antimicrobial efficacy of silver nanoparticles were analysed against three bacterial species Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and three fungal species, Alternaria alternata, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Fusarium oxysporum by disc diffusion method and was found to be effective. Among the bacterial species, maximum activity was observed against Pseudomonas aeruginosa followed by Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia and among the fungal species maximum activity was observed against Alternaria alternata followed by Fusarium oxysporum and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles forms an economically viable technique. Their activities against microbes find immense use in the pharmaceutical research.

Keywords: Salacia gambleana; Silver nanoparticles; Green synthesis; Antimicrobial activity.