Green Synthesis of Selenium Nanoparticles Mediated by Nilgirianthus ciliates Leaf Extracts for Antimicrobial Activity on Foodborne Pathogenic Microbes and PesticidalActivity Against Aedes aegypti with Molecular Docking.

Abstract

The present study deals with the synthesis of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) using Nilgirianthus ciliatus leaf extracts, characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometer, XRD, FTIR, FE-SEM, HR-TEM, DLS, and zeta potential analysis. The antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC96), Escherichia coli (MTCC443), and Salmonella typhi (MTCC98) showed the remarkable inhibitory effect at 25µl/mL concentration level. Furthermore, the characterized SeNPs showed a great insecticidal activity against Aedes aegypti in the early larval stages with the medianLethal Concentration (LC50)of 0.92mg/L. Histopathological observations of the SeNPs treated midgut and caeca regions of Ae. aegypti 4th instar larvae showed damaged epithelial layer andfragmented peritrophic membrane. In order to provide a mechanistic approach for further studies, molecular docking studies using Auto Dock Vina were performed with compounds of N. ciliatus within the active site of AeSCP2. Overall, the N. ciliates leaf-mediated biogenic SeNPs was promisingly evidenced to have potential larvicidal and food pathogenic bactericidal activity in an eco-friendly approach.