Synthesis and Characterization of Bioinspired Silver Nanoparticles by Aqueous Leaf Extract of Indigofera cassioides: Evaluation of Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activity

Abstract

The green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has increasingly promising due to their potential applications in nanomedicine. For the first time, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized from aqueous leaf extract of Indigofera cassioides. The AgNPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy and the characteristic surface plasmon resonance peak was observed at 414 nm. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) revealed the phytochemicals in the plant extract which assisted bioreduction, capping and stabilizing agent. Morphology of AgNPs was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and they were spherical shape with average particle size as 20 nm. The face centered cubic (FCC) crystalline structure of the AGNPs was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential analysis revealed that the average hydrodynamic diameter of the AGNPs as 80 nm and the negative zeta potential value of -36.6 mV indicates good stability. Antimicrobial studies disclosed that the biosynthesized AgNPs possess strong activity against pathogenic bacteria. The cytotoxicity study is concealed that the AgNPs exhibit selective cytotoxicity against the tested cell lines and a pronounced activity was observed against human breast cancer cells (MCF-7). The present study concludes that for the biosynthesized AgNPs could be used as an antimicrobial and anticancer agent.