Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Leaf Extract Mormodica charantia: Phytochemical and Antimicrobial Activities

Abstract

Mormodica charantia is a plant of the Cucurbitaceae family known as bitter melon, karela, and pare. It grows in tropical areas of the Amazon, Asia, South America India, East Africa and Nigeria. It’s used traditionally as both food and medicine. Thisresearch showed the phytochemical and antimicrobial effects on the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles from Mormodica charantia. The phytochemical screening of the leaf extracts and the antimicrobial effect of Mormodica charantiawere studied. The aqueous extract of the plants was prepared from the leaves of the plant for the green synthesis of the silver nanoparticles. The phytochemical screening of the leaf extracts and the antimicrobial analysis were also carried out. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized using Fourier Transmission Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). This study showed that Mormodica charantia inhibits the growth of E. coli but, has high inhibitory effect on the growth of fungi, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Fusarium solani and Candida albican tested. This suggests that these plants can be used for the treatment of fungi related diseases. The phytochemical screening results of the plants studied showed that they are good sources of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids etc. which can be used in pharmacology. The FTIR results of the silver nanoparticles showed only a noticeable difference in the spectra of (Mormodica charantia) and (Mormodica charantia-AgNPs) in that the band 1327 cm-1 present in (Mormodica charantia) disappeared in (Mormodica charantia-AgNPs) and the band at 1593 cm-1 was observed in (Mormodica charantia-AgNPs) spectra. The band at 1593cm-1 in the as-synthesized (Mormodica charantia-AgNPs) suggested possible coordination of the (Mormodica charantia-AgNPs) with carboxylate ions formed during the reduction. FTIR spectra analysis confirmed conversion of Ag+ ions to AgNPs (Ag+ to Ag0) to reduction by capping material of plant extract.