Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles from Tribulus terrestris and its antimicrobial activity: A novel biological approach

Abstract

In the recent decades, increased development of green synthesis of nanoparticles is inevitable because of its incredible applications in all fields of science. There were numerous work have been produced based on the plant and its extract mediated synthesis of nanoparticles, in this present study to explore that the novel approaches for the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using plant fruit bodies. The plant, Tribulus terrestris L. fruit bodies are used in this study, where the dried fruit body extract was mixed with silver nitrate in order to synthesis of silver nanoparticles. The active phytochemicals present in the plant were responsible for the quick reduction of silver ion (Ag+) to metallic silver nanoparticles (Ag0). The reduced silver nanoparticles were characterized by Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), XRD, FTIR, UV–vis spectroscopy. The spherical shaped silver nanoparticles were observed and it was found to be 16–28nm range of sizes. The diffraction pattern also confirmed that the higher percentage of silver with fine particles size. The antibacterial property of synthesized nanoparticles was observed by Kirby–Bauer method with clinically isolated multi-drug resistant bacteria such as Streptococcus pyogens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. The plant materials mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles have comparatively rapid and less expensive and wide application to antibacterial therapy in modern medicine.