Synergistic Efficacy of Antibiotics and Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized from Eichhornia crassipes

The increasing prevalence of bacterial resistance has made an important public health issue in the present scenario.  Thus it is urging to develop alternate and more effective therapeutic strategies to treat both Gram-negative and Gram-positive microbes. Now a days silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized biologically gaining much importance with different applications as they are nontoxic and eco-friendliness. The antimicrobial activity of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles synthesized from aqueous extracts of Eichhornia crassipes was evaluated with the panel of antibiotics like vancomycin, penicillin, streptomycin and tetracycline and microorganisms in the category of either gram positive or gram negative type. E. coli and S. aureus proved to be effective with highest zone formation. In addition, possible synergistic effects of antibiotics were loaded with standard concentration of 20 μl of AgNPs and the effect of inhibition was highest in the antibiotic Tetracycline followed by Streptomycin, Vancomycin and Penicillin with different tested microbes. The synergistic association of antibiotics with biosynthesized metallic silver nanoparticles proved to be effective against the tested microbes than control. The antibiotics showed higher zone of inhibition when added to AgNPs.