Biogenic Synthesis, Spectroscopic Characterization and Bioactivity of Cymbopogon citratus Derived Silver Nanoparticles

The use of plant extracts as a bio-reducer for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles has attracted attention due to its rapid, ecological, non-toxic and economical protocol. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of synthesizing silver nanoparticles using Cymbopogon citratus leaf extract, and characterizing them by Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction and X-ray Fluorescence in order to determine their size and composition, as well as to evaluate them in-vitro bioactivity on selected models. The results of this study show that silver nanoparticles were successfully synthesized, with a size of 29.49 nm. The silver nanoparticles showed bactericidal activity against all three types of bacteria ( E. coli ATCC 25922, S. aureus ATCC 25923, and P. aerugunosa ATCC 27853) at the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC=31.25 μg/mL), larvicidal activity against Anopheles larvae and reasonable antioxidant properties. All these results demonstrate the biopharmaceutical potential of these new products. These nanoparticles, synthesized from plant extracts, could be a promising solution for the treatment of a number of diseases, including malaria, bacterial infections and diseases caused by oxidative stress.