Abstract
In the present study, we have synthesized silver-copper nanocomposites (Ag-Cu NCs) using an Olax scandens leaf extract (green synthesis method) and evaluated their antimicrobial potential against less susceptible pathogens. The kinetics of Ag-Cu NCs synthesis was followed by UV-VIS and fluorescence spectroscopy. The physicochemical characterization of as-synthesized Ag-Cu NCs was executed using electron microscopy, Energy Dispersive X-Ray, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, and a Differential Light Scattering method. As-synthesized Ag-Cu NCs induced the formation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), thereby causing alteration and decrementation of cellular proteins, DNA, lipids, etc., and eventually leading to cell death, as determined by a Live/Dead assay. Next, we assessed the anti-biofilm potential of as-synthesized Ag-Cu NCs against biofilm forming bacteria. The as-synthesized Ag-Cu NCs, when compared to monometallic silver nanoparticles, exhibited significantly higher anti-microbial activity against both sensitive as well as drug resistant microbial isolates.
Highlights
Metallic nanoparticles have found diversified applications in the area of electronics, food, and, most profoundly, several biomedical-related fields, especially for their antimicrobial potential and for their use as a diagnostic tool (Klebowski et al, 2018; Kumar et al, 2018; Azharuddin et al, 2019; Moutsiopoulou et al, 2019)
We established the potential of Olax scandens leaf extract to mediate synthesis of monometallic silver and copper nanoparticles
The employed bio-mediated approach excludes the usage of harmful chemicals or high-temperature-based reducing conditions to fabricate nanoparticles, making the whole process more economic as well as ecofriendly (Tran and Le, 2013)
Summary
Metallic nanoparticles have found diversified applications in the area of electronics, food, and, most profoundly, several biomedical-related fields, especially for their antimicrobial potential and for their use as a diagnostic tool (Klebowski et al, 2018; Kumar et al, 2018; Azharuddin et al, 2019; Moutsiopoulou et al, 2019). Plant or microbial extract-based fabrication of metal nanoparticles has been exploited in the recent past to revolutionize the field of nanotechnology (Yang et al, 2011). There is growing trend of employing nanocomposites as a substitute for single metal-based nanoparticles. Nanocomposites, as the name indicates, are basically combinations of more than one core material and show better attributes as compared to single metal-based nanoparticles. Nanocomposites comprising of a silver and copper combination show improved physical and chemical properties as compared to the individual parent nanoparticles (Peszke et al, 2017). There was a great deal of concern regarding protocols employed in the fabrication of metal-based nanoparticles since they require high temperature, pressure, and specific reaction conditions. Olax scandens leaf extract was used as a reducing and capping agent for the bio-mediated conversion of silver and copper salts to a nanocomposite structure. The antimicrobial effect of the nanocomposites was established by determining its antimicrobial potential against some common bacterial and fungal microbes, viz., E. coli, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, C. albicans, F. moniliforme, etc
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