Evaluation of mosquito larvicidal activity of green synthesized crystalline silver nanoparticles using leave and fruit extracts of Phyllanthus acidus L. (Phyllanthaceae)

The present study evaluates the potentiality of green silver nanoparticles from the leaves and fruit extracts of Phyllanthus acidus L. against third instar larvae of two vector mosquitoes namely Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex vishnui. Various spectroscopic techniques were used to characterize the synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Synthesized silver nanoparticles from both the leaf and fruits of P. acidus were spherical to quasi-spherical in shape and showed Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) bands at 420 and 409 nm respectively. In larvicidal bioassay with synthesized AgNPs from the leave of P. acidus, 100% mortality was observed at 20 ppm against third instar larvae of both the mosquito species with LC50 values of 1.64 and 0.87 ppm respectively. 100% mortality was observed in 5 ppm concentration against both Cx. quinquefasciatus and Cx. vishnui in synthesized AgNPs from fruits of P. acidus with LC50 values of 1.62 and 1.24 ppm respectively. The above findings suggest that the AgNPs synthesized from P. acidus leaves and fruit extracts have the potential to be employed in vector mosquito population control.