Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is a global health challenge, and the large loads of biocides dumped into the environment augment the spread of antifungal resistance and environmental contamination. Therefore, eco-friendly antifungal agents must be developed to combat antibiotic resistance and to reduce environmental contamination. In the present investigation, Allium sativum (Hill garlic-Malai Poondu) extract was used as a green resource to achieve silver nanoparticle (AgNP) production. AgNPs were characterized by various spectral and microscopic analyses. In vitro free radical scavenging assays were instigated to determine the antioxidant capacity of the AgNPs, and the antifungal activity was assessed using Agar well-diffusion assay again pathogenic fungal strains. The mean particle size of the AgNPs was calculated as 35.1 nm with face-centered cubic (FCC) structure. AgNPs exhibited free radical scavenging activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrzyl (DPPH), 2,2-azino-bis (3-etilbenzotiazolin)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) radicals. Scavenging of DPPH radicals by AgNPs was impressive, and an IC50 value of 6.3 ± 0.4 μg/ml was obtained in this assay. Among the tested Candida strains, the order of the least susceptibility on exposure to AgNPs synthesized using Hill garlic extract was as follows: C . g l a b r a t a ≤ C . t r o p i c a l i s ≤ C . p a r a p s i l o s i s ≤ C . k r u s e i ≤ C . a l b i c a n s . The study highlights the synthesis of environment-friendly nanoparticles using Hill garlic extract with enhanced antifungal properties.
Highlights
The discovery of antibiotics has been a milestone in contemporary medicine
The overuse and misuse of antibiotics have increased the load of biocides that are being discarded into the surroundings as environmental contaminants
The data revealed that Hill garlic extract had multiple functions in the synthesis of AgNPs which includes reduction, capping, and stabilization through organic compounds
Summary
The discovery of antibiotics has been a milestone in contemporary medicine. the extensive consumption of antibiotics has provoked the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which in turn has become a global health challenge [1]. The removal of pathogens from biomedical wastes has become a meticulous process since biomedical wastes do not degrade in the environment This can have a significant impact on wildlife and human beings and enhance antimicrobial resistance [6]. NPs synthesized using Allium sativum extract possessed biocidal property against P. aeruginosa and antifungal activity against C. albicans [18]. This showed that plant extract-mediated NPs synthesized in an ecofriendly approach can combat microbes efficiently. The current study was carried out to green synthesize AgNPs using Kodaikanal Hill garlic (Malai Poondu) extract and evaluate their antifungal property against pathogenic Candida strains
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