Green synthesis of silver micro- and nano-particles using phytochemical extracts of Cymbopogon citratus exhibits antibacterial properties

Abstract

Green synthesis of nanoparticles using the plant material was considered an eco-friendly and cost-effective method to synthesize the functionalized nanoparticles. This study demonstrates the synthesis of silver micro- and nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the Cymbopogon citratus plants. The Cymbopogon citratus is wisely chosen for its several therapeutic applications such as antispasmodic, antirheumatic, anticonvulsant, antiseptic, analgesic, hypotensive, antiemetic, antitussive, and treatment for fevers, nervous disorders, and gastrointestinal disorders. This is in good agreement with this study that the phytochemical chemical assays of Cymbopogon citratus confirmed the presence of various phytochemicals such as phenols, proteins, terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponin, tannins, steroids, and cardiac glycoside compounds. In addition, the Cymbopogon citratus extracts showed the reducing activity of the silver nitrate to AgNPs which is confirmed by the excitation peak at 410 nm at UV/visible. Furthermore, AgNPs morphological structures such as size and structure were confirmed SEM and XRD, which revealed the size of AgNPs is < 2 μm and face-centered cubic structures, respectively. This study also explored the antimicrobial activity of AgNPs to bacterial cells shown that minimal inhibitory concentration of about 300 μg/ml of AgNPs potentially inhibits E. coli and 150 μg/ml of AgNPs extract potentially inhibits the bacterial cultures such as S. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, and B. subtilis.