Green Silver Nanoparticles Formed by Phyllanthus urinaria, Pouzolzia zeylanica, and Scoparia dulcis Leaf Extracts and the Antifungal Activity

Abstract

Phytoconstituents presenting in herbal plant broths are the biocompatible, regenerative, and cost-effective sources that can be utilized for green synthesis of silver nanoparticles. Different plant extracts can form nanoparticles with specific sizes, shapes, and properties. In the study, we prepared silver nanoparticles (P.uri.AgNPs, P.zey.AgNPs, and S.dul.AgNPs) based on three kinds of leaf extracts (Phyllanthus urinaria, Pouzolzia zeylanica, and Scoparia dulcis, respectively) and demonstrated the antifungal capacity. The silver nanoparticles were simply formed by adding silver nitrate to leaf extracts without using any reducing agents or stabilizers. Formation and physicochemical properties of these silver nanoparticles were characterized by UV-vis, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. P.uri.AgNPs were 28.3 nm and spherical. P.zey.AgNPs were 26.7 nm with hexagon or triangle morphologies. Spherical S.dul.AgNPs were formed and they were relatively smaller than others. P.uri.AgNPs, P.zey.AgNPs and S.dul.AgNPs exhibited the antifungal ability effective against Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, and Fusarium oxysporum, demonstrating their potentials as fungicides in the biomedical and agricultural applications.

Keywords: Phyllanthus urinaria; Pouzolzia zeylanica; Scoparia dulcis; green synthesis; silver nanoparticles; the antifungal activity.

Figure 1

Biosynthesis procedure of silver nanoparticles using various plant extracts: Phyllanthus urinaria, Pouzolzia zeylanica, and Scoparia dulcis leaf extracts symbolized as P.uri.ext, P.zey.ext, and S.dul.ext were reacted with silver nitrate to form three types of silver nanoparticles that were named as P.uri.AgNP, P.zey.AgNP, and S.dul.AgNP, respectively.

Figure 2

The UV-vis spectra of P.uri.ext and P.uri.AgNP (a), P.zey.ext and P.zey.AgNP (b), S.dul.ext and S.dul.AgNP (c), in which the dashed line is the spectra of extract, and the solid line is that of AgNP; the FTIR spectra of P.uri.ext and P.uri.AgNP (d), P.zey.ext and P.zey.AgNP (e), S.dul.ext and S.dul.AgNP (f), in which (i) line is the spectra of AgNP, (ii) line is the one of extract; the EDX spectra of P.uri.AgNP (g), P.zey.AgNP (h) and S.dul.AgNP (i).

Figure 3

TEM images of P.uri.AgNP (a), P.zey.AgNP (b), and S.dul.AgNP (c); the graph of dimension distribution of P.uri.AgNP (d), P.zey.AgNP (e), and S.dul.AgNP (f).

Figure 4

Three fungal strains including A. niger, A. flavus, and F. oxysporum were culture in different agar matrix after 96 h.

Figure 5

The mycelium diameter of A. niger (a), A. flavus (b), and F. oxysporum (c) cultured on different agar matrices as a function of time interval. (PDA: potato dextrose agar dishes as a control; P.uri.ext, P.zey.ext, and S.dul.ext: the dishes made from PDA containing leaf extracts of Phyllanthus urinaria, Pouzolzia zeylanica, and Scoparia dulcis; P.uri.AgNP15, P.uri.AgNP30, and P.uri.AgNP45: the dishes made from PDA containing 15, 30 and 45 ppm of P.uri.AgNPs silver nanoparticles; P.zey.AgNP15, P.zey.AgNP30, P.zey.AgNP45: the dishes made from PDA containing 15, 30 and 45 ppm of P.zey.AgNPs silver nanoparticles; S.dul.AgNP15, S.dul.AgNP30, S.dul.AgNP45: the dishes made from PDA containing 15, 30 and 45 ppm of S.dul.AgNPs silver nanoparticles (*) P < 0.05; NS: non-statistical different.