Abstract
In the present paper, facile synthesis of Ag@ZnO core-shell nanocomposites is reported where zinc oxide is coated on biogenic silver nanoparticles synthesized using Andrographis paniculata and Aloe vera leaf extract. Structural features of as synthesized nanocomposites are characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, XRD, and FTIR. Morphology of the above core-shell nanocomposites is investigated by electron microscopy. As synthesized nanocomposite material has shown antimicrobial activity against Candida krusei, which is an opportunistic pathogen known to cause candidemia. The possible mode of activity of the above material has been studied by in-vitro molecular techniques. Our investigations have shown that surface coating of biogenic silver nanoparticles by zinc oxide has increased its antimicrobial efficiency against Candida krusei, while decreasing its toxicity towards A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cell lines.
Highlights
Fungal infections caused by Candida species have become one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised situation, for patients with hematologic malignancies and for transplant recipients[1,2,3,4]
Ag NPs were synthesized by using Andrographis paniculata and Aloe vera leaf extract followed by coating of ZnO by using zinc nitrate hexahydrate in alkaline condition
For ZnO with a refractive index remarkably higher than that of water, strong blue-shifts in the SPR band position is expected for Ag colloidal particles as they become encapsulated with zinc oxide shell
Summary
Fungal infections caused by Candida species have become one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised situation, for patients with hematologic malignancies and for transplant recipients[1,2,3,4]. Nanomaterials based strategies have received much attention by the scientific community owing to their unique antimicrobial effectiveness caused by combination of their small size and high surface-to-volume ratio, which enable intimate interactions with microbial membranes[11,12] Inorganic antibacterial agents such as metallic and metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) are considered to be advantageous compared to organic compound due to their stability, chemical inertness, and potential biotechnological applications[13,14]. Sao et al have synthesized Ag/graphene oxide NC with remarkable activity against Escherichia coli and S. aureus[22] These materials have demonstrated potential antibacterial behavior, their clinical trial has been delayed due to possible toxic behavior towards healthy cells and tissues[15,16]. The cytotoxicity of the Ag@ZnO NC has been compared with that of biogenic Ag NPs using A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cell lines
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