Eco‐friendly Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Daphne Mucronata Royle Seeds Extract and the Potential Antibacterial, Antifungal, and Scolicidal Activities

Abstract

AbstractGreen synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have received lots of attention due to being used as potential therapeutic agents. For the first time, this research investigated the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using the extract of Daphne mucronata seeds, which are rich in phenolic and polyphenolic substances and evaluated their antibacterial, antifungal, and scavenging activities. The process of nanoparticle (NPs) preparation was confirmed using UV–vis spectroscopy with an absorption peak at a wavelength of 440 nm. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used to determine the particles' distribution. Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) validated the functional groups contributing to the reduction of Ag+ to Ag. Moreover, X‐ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) approved the crystalline nature and spherical shape of the particles with mean and standard deviation of particle size to be 60.25 and 24.88 nm, respectively. The antibacterial, antifungal, and scolicidal activities of AgNPs were studied using disc diffusion against four standard bacteria species and microdilution methods for four Candida strains. The greatest effect of AgNPs with the highest concentration (80 µg/mL) was observed on Staphylococcus aureus (22.26 mm) and the lowest on Pseudomonas aeruginosa (19.07 mm). In the case of Candida fungus, the highest effect of AgNPs was reported for Candida krusei (7.93 µg/mL) and the lowest for Candida albicans (63.49 µg/mL). Also, these nanoparticles were able to register 100% lethality on the Echinococcus granulosus parasite in 15 min at a concentration (80 µg/mL). Therefore, the production of AgNPs as a renewable and cheap material can be effective after performing all the necessary tests as antibacterial, antifungal and antiparasitic agents with the least side effects in biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences.