Explore the vast range of titles available.

Herein, we report the green synthesis of flower-like carrageenan-silver nanoparticles (c-AgNPs) through a facile hydrothermal reaction at 90 °C for 2 h. The reduction of silver nitrate (AgNO3) to c-AgNPs was evident by the colour change of the solution from colourless to dark brown and further confirmed by a UV-Vis surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak at ~420 nm. The FTIR spectra showed that the abundance of functional groups present in the carrageenan were responsible for the reduction and stabilisation of the c-AgNPs. The XRD pattern confirmed the crystalline nature and face-centred cubic structure of the c-AgNPs, while the EDX analysis showed the presence of a high composition of elemental silver (85.87 wt%). Interestingly, the morphological characterisations by SEM and FE-SEM revealed the formation of flower-like c-AgNPs composed of intercrossed and random lamellar petals of approximately 50 nm in thickness. The growth mechanism of flower-like c-AgNPs were elucidated based on the TEM and AFM analyses. The c-AgNPs displayed promising antibacterial properties against E. coli and S. aureus, with zones of inhibition ranging from 8.0 ± 0.0 to 11.7 ± 0.6 mm and 7.3 ± 0.6 to 9.7 ± 0.6 mm, respectively, as the concentration of c-AgNPs increased from 0.1 to 4 mg/mL.

Cryptosporidium is a primary cause of waterborne epidemics, despite being previously considered only an opportunistic pathogen. The disease is associated with significant economic losses in humans and animals that are brought on by diarrhea, which frequently causes dehydration. Contact with diseased people or animals, as well as polluted water, is the major cause of infection. Different drugs are used to control the parasites. Nitazoxanide (NTZ), which is an anti-protozoan and anti-viral drug, can be used to control helminths, viruses, and protozoan parasites as a broad-spectrum antibiotic and has been approved by the food and drug authority (FDA). However, the problem is the development of resistance over a period of time in these parasites. Nanoparticles have received significant attention as possible anti-parasitic agents in recent years. By directing medications to specific cellular locations, targeted drug delivery minimizes the side effects of medications. Nanoparticles have demonstrated effectiveness against different Cryptosporidium species. Nanoparticles loaded with NTZ are found to be an effective remedy for C. parvum in young ones and decrease the oocyst count shed in the stools. Additionally, silver nanoparticles have proven to be effective against C. parvum by releasing silver ions that breach the cell wall of the oocyst, causing the escape of intracellular contents and the destruction of sporozoites within the oocyst. Implementing tiny particles for the purification of consuming water from Cryptosporidium is an economical and environmentally sustainable process. However, the use of nanoparticles in medicine requires more research.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have garnered significant interest due to their distinctive properties and potential applications. Traditional fabrication methods for nanoparticles often involve high-energy physical conditions and the use of toxic solvents. Various green synthesis approaches have been developed to circumvent these issues and produce environmentally benign nanoparticles. Our study focuses on the green synthesis of AgNPs using L-ascorbic acid and explores the modification of their properties to enhance antibacterial and anticancer effects. This is achieved by coating the nanoparticles with Zinc oxide (ZnO) and Silica oxide (SiO 2 ), which alters their optical properties in the visible spectrum. The synthesized formulations—AgNPs, zinc oxide-silver nanoparticles (Ag@ZnO), and silica oxide-silver nanoparticles (Ag@SiO 2 ) core/shell nanoparticles—were characterized using a suite of physicochemical techniques, including Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Zeta potential measurement, UV–Vis spectroscopy, Refractive Index Measurements, and Optical Anisotropy Assessment. TEM imaging revealed particle sizes of 11 nm for AgNPs, 8 nm for Ag@ZnO, and 400 nm for Ag@SiO 2 . The Zeta potential values for Ag@ZnO and Ag@SiO 2 were measured at −17.0 ± 5 mV and −65.0 ± 8 mV, respectively. UV–Vis absorption spectra were recorded for all formulations in the 320 nm to 600 nm wavelength range. The refractive index of AgNPs at 404.7 nm was 1.34572, with slight shifts observed for Ag@ZnO and Ag@SiO 2 to 1.34326 and 1.37378, respectively. The cytotoxicity of the nanocomposites against breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7) was assessed using the MTT assay. The results indicated that AgNPs and Ag@ZnO exhibited potent therapeutic effects, with IC50 values of 494.00 µg/mL and 430.00 µg/mL, respectively, compared to 4247.20 µg/mL for Ag@SiO2. Additionally, the antibacterial efficacy of AgNPs was significantly enhanced under visible light irradiation. Ag@ZnO demonstrated substantial antibacterial activity both with and without light exposure, while the Ag@SiO2 nanocomposites significantly reduced the inherent antibacterial activity of silver. Conversely, the Ag@ZnO nanocomposites displayed pronounced antibacterial and anticancer activities. The findings suggest that silver-based nanocomposites, particularly Ag@ZnO, could be practical tools in water treatment and the pharmaceutical industry due to their enhanced therapeutic properties.

Our objective in this review article is to find out relevant information about methods of determination of antioxidant activity of silver nanoparticles. There are many studies dealing with mentioned problem and herein we summarize the knowledge about methods evaluating the antioxidant activity of silver nanoparticles reported so far. Many authors declare better antioxidant activity of silver nanoparticles compared to the extract used for synthesis of them. In this review, we focused on methods of antioxidant activity determination in detail to find out novel and perspective techniques to solve the general problems associated with the determination of antioxidant activity of silver nanoparticles.

Silver nanoparticles possess antibacterial effect for various bacteria; however mechanisms of the interaction between Ag-NPs and bacterial cells remain unclear. The aim of our study was to obtain direct evidence of Ag-NPs penetration into cells of Gram-negative bacterium S. typhimurium and Gram-positive bacterium S. aureus , and to study cell responses to Ag-NPs. The Ag-NPs (most 8–10 nm) were obtained by gas-jet method. S. typhimurium (7.81 × 10 7 CFU), or S. aureus (8.96 × 10 7 CFU) were treated by Ag-NPs (0.05 mg/l of silver) in orbital shaker at 190 rpm, 37 °C. Bacteria were sampled at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 5 and 23 h of the incubation for transmission electron microscopy of ultrathin sections. The Ag-NPs adsorbed on outer membrane of S . typhimurium and cell wall of S. auereus ; penetrated and accumulated in cells without aggregation and damaging of neighboring cytoplasm. In cells of S. aureus Ag-NPs bound with DNA fibers. Cell responses to Ag-NPs differed morphologically in S. typhimurium and S. aureus , and mainly were presented by damage of cell structures. The cytoplasm of S. aureus became amorphous, while S. typhimurium showed lumping and lysis of cytoplasm which led to formation of “empty” cells. Other difference was fast change of cell shape in S. typhimurium , and late deformation of S. aureus cells . The obtained results showed how different could be responses induced by the same NPs in relatively simple prokaryotic cells. Evidently, Ag-NPs directly interact with macromolecular structures of living cells and are exert an active influence on their metabolism.

This study aimed to biosynthesize silver nanoparticles using flower -an Iranian medicinal plant extract rich in bioactive phytochemicals and evaluate their antimicrobial potential through complementary broth microdilution (MIC/MBC) and agar well diffusion assays, alongside an assessment of their anticancer and biomolecular interaction properties. The synthesis leverages natural reducing and capping agents (phenols, flavonoids, tannins) to produce stable, spherical AgNPs (FEA@AgNPs), characterized by UV-vis (  = 439 nm), XRD (∼10 nm, face-centered cubic), FESEM, TEM (6.61 nm), and FT-IR. A zeta potential of -32.68 mV confirmed colloidal stability. The nanoparticles were stable for over a month, indicating that flower aqueous extract is suitable for their preparation and stabilization. FEA@AgNPs showed moderate activity against (12 vs. 24 mm for gentamicin) and no agar diffusion inhibition against , despite a MIC of 37.5 μg/mL in the broth assay. The antioxidant results show 55% DPPH radical scavenging at 160 μg/mL. Notably, they induced dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicity in PC3 and AGS cancer cells, with IC values of 7.49 and 5.33 μg/mL, respectively, after 72 h ( < 0.05). Spectroscopic analyses revealed a strong binding affinity to calf thymus DNA and human serum albumin, suggesting biomolecular interaction capacity relevant to drug delivery. This work provides a green, efficient route to multifunctional AgNPs, bridging traditional herbal knowledge and bioinorganic nanomedicine for potential applications in infection control and oncology.

An important application of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) is their use as an antimicrobial and wound dressing material. The aim of this study is to investigate the morphological dependence on the antimicrobial activity and cellular response of Ag NPs. Ag NPs of various shapes were synthesized in an aqueous solution using a simple method. The morphology of the synthesized Ag NPs was observed via TEM imaging. The antimicrobial activity of the Ag NPs with different morphologies was evaluated against various microorganisms ( [ ] [ ] [ ]). The antimicrobial activity of the Ag NPs was also examined according to the concentration in terms of the growth rate of . The TEM images indicated that the Ag NPs with different morphologies (sphere, disk and triangular plate) had been successfully synthesized. The antimicrobial activity obtained from the inhibition zone was in the order of spherical Ag NPs > disk Ag NPs > triangular plate Ag NPs. In contrast, fibroblast cells grew well in all types of Ag NPs when the cell viability was evaluated via an MTT assay. An inductively coupled plasma mass assay showed that the difference in the antimicrobial activities of the Ag NPs was closely associated with the difference in the release rate of the Ag ions due to the difference in the surface area of the Ag NPs. The morphological dependence of the antimicrobial activity of the Ag NPs can be explained by the difference in the Ag ion release depending on the shape. Therefore, it will be possible to control the antimicrobial activity by controlling the shape and size of the Ag NPs.

The biosynthesis of nanoparticles has received increasing attention due to the growing need to develop safe, cost-effective and environmentally friendly technologies for nano-materials synthesis. In this report, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using a reduction of aqueous Ag+ ion with the culture supernatants of Aspergillus terreus. The reaction occurred at ambient temperature and in a few hours. The bioreduction of AgNPs was monitored by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and the AgNPs obtained were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The synthesized AgNPs were polydispersed spherical particles ranging in size from 1 to 20 nm and stabilized in the solution. Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) was found to be an important reducing agent for the biosynthesis, and the formation of AgNPs might be an enzyme-mediated extracellular reaction process. Furthermore, the antimicrobial potential of AgNPs was systematically evaluated. The synthesized AgNPs could efficiently inhibit various pathogenic organisms, including bacteria and fungi. The current research opens a new avenue for the green synthesis of nano-materials.

This study was designed to evaluate the protective potentials of chitosan nanoparticles (ChNPs) against silver nanoparticle (AgNP)-induced reproductive toxicity in male Wister albino rats. AgNPs, ChNPs, and AgNPs particles coated with ChNPs were characterized by using transmission electron microscope. Control rats were injected interperitoneally with 0.5% aqueous carboxymethyl cellulose. Second group was given ChNPs at a dose 300 mg/kg bwt. Third group was given AgNPs at a dose 50 mg/kg bwt. Fourth group was given AgNPs with chitosan nanoparticles simultaneously. Fifth group was given silver nanoparticles coated with chitosan nanoparticles at a dose 300 mg/kg bwt. TEM showed the formation of AgNPs with average size of 42.7 nm, ChNPs with average size of 33.3 nm, and AgNPs coated with ChNPs with average size of 48.1 nm. AgNPs significantly reduced serum levels of FSH, LH, testosterone and prolactin, sperm count, morphology index, vitality, total motility and progressive motility, the activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase, and the concentration of reduced glutathione in testicular tissues. However, it significantly increased malondialdehyde concentration in testicular tissues, sperm abnormalities, testicular tissue damages, non-progressive motility, and immotile sperms. On the contrast, ChNPs ameliorated AgNP-induced alteration in serum levels of sex hormones, spermogram, and testicular tissue’s structure and functions. These results indicated that ChNPs had protective potential against AgNP-induced reproductive toxicity and ChNPs coating AgNPs had more potent protective effect than ChNPs administrated together with AgNPs.

Astragalus fasciculifolius Bioss, commonly known as Anzaroot, is a medicinal plant from the Fabaceae family, recognized for its therapeutic properties due to its rich composition of saponins, flavonoids, and polysaccharides. These compounds have been shown to effectively treat heart diseases and inhibit cancer cell growth while also alleviating chemotherapy side effects. Recent research has focused on the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from Anzaroot, exploring their potential cytotoxic effects against MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. This study aims to bridge traditional herbal medicine and modern nanotechnology by evaluating the anticancer properties of AgNPs derived from this lesser-explored plant. This study was aimed to assess the cytotoxic effect of Anzaroot and green synthesized AgNPs using aqueous extract of Anzaroot on the MCF-7 cell line. To optimization of AgNPs synthesis, different parameters were evaluated including Anzaroot aqueous extract volumes (1, 2, 3 and 4 ml), silver nitrate solution (AgNO 3 ) concentrations (1, 5 and 10 mM), reaction time (30, 60 and 300 min) and reaction solution pH (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10) at room temperature. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) were used to characterization of the AgNPs using aqueous extract of Anzaroot-silver nanoparticles (Anz@AgNPs). The obtained Anz@AgNPs exhibited Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) centered at 443 nm, with an average particle size calculated to be about 16 nm. The XRD spectrum of Anz@AgNPs showed a face-centred cubic (FCC) crystalline nature. The optimized parameters for successfully AgNPs synthesis were optained as follow: 4 ml aqueous extract volume, 1 and 5 mM AgNO 3 , reaction time of 300 min, and pH 8. MTT assay demonstrated the remarkable dependent dosage anticancer effect of the Anz@AgNPs against MCF-7 cell line. The IC50 value exposed that The lowest and the highest IC50 values was demonstrated for the Anz@AgNPs synthesized through the root extract (21.73 μg/Ml) and the aqueous root extract (348.21 μg/Ml) treatment. Based on the MTT assay, the Anz@AgNPs showed the inhibition of cell proliferation potential more than the aqueous extract of this plant. The plant organs used in Anz@AgNPs synthesis, root and gum, influenced their anticancer activity; nanoparticles synthesized from root extract demonstrated a stronger growth inhibitory effect than those from gum extract. The results demonstrated that anzroot plant can be effectively used as a reducing agent for AgNPs synthesis, and AgNPs have the potential to be used effectively in cancer therapy methods and to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.