article · Heliyon
Silver nanoparticles were produced using aqueous leaf extracts from three Congolese plant species: Brillantaisia patula, Crossopteryx febrifuga and Senna siamea. Researchers examined the optical, structural, morphological and antibacterial characteristics of these biosynthesised nanoparticles. Advanced characterisation techniques confirmed that the resulting silver nanoparticles were spherical, well-dispersed and varied in average size between 45 and 110 nanometres. Laboratory tests demonstrated that nanoparticles produced from all three plant species possessed stronger antibacterial properties against three human skin pathogens than either the raw plant extracts or silver nitrate alone. These findings suggest that organic compounds from the plant leaves cap the nanoparticles and improve their antimicrobial performance. Consequently, plant-mediated synthesis offers a green approach to developing silver nanoparticles with strong antibacterial potential, supporting future investigations into treatments for infectious microbial skin conditions.
Bacterial skin infections require effective antimicrobial treatments, especially as resistance to conventional options grows. Producing silver nanoparticles using plant extracts provides an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical synthesis. Demonstrating that extracts from local Congolese flora can generate potent antimicrobial particles provides a foundation for exploring nature-based solutions to combat common bacterial pathogens responsible for skin diseases.
This work indicates potential applications in antimicrobial therapies, specifically topical formulations for treating bacterial skin infections. Possible end users include pharmaceutical developers and healthcare providers managing infectious skin conditions. However, the findings represent early-stage laboratory research focused on synthesis and in vitro antibacterial testing, meaning formulation development, toxicity assessments and clinical evaluation remain necessary before practical commercial products can emerge.
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In the present study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using aqueous leaf extracts of three Congolese plant species, namely <i>Brillantaisia patula</i> (BR-PA), <i>Crossopteryx febrifuga</i> (CR-FE) and <i>Senna siamea</i> (SE-SI). The obtained AgNPs were studied for their optical, structural, surface morphological and antibacterial properties. The prepared AgNPs were characterized by using UV-Visible spectra, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The synthesized nanoparticles were spherical shaped and well-dispersed with average sizes ranging from 45 to 110 nm. The AgNPs derived from BR-PA, CR-FE and SE-SI exhibited higher antibacterial activity against three bacterial pathogens of the human skin compared to their respective crude extracts and AgNO<sub>3</sub>. This indicated that the biomolecules covering the nanoparticles may enhance the biological activity of metal nanoparticles. Hence, our results support that biogenic synthesis of AgNPs from Congolese plants constitutes a potential area of interest for the therapeutic management of microbial diseases such as infectious skin diseases.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04493
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