Biogenic silver nanoparticles synthesized from Smilax glabra root extract: A green approach with antimicrobial properties

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have garnered significant research interest and practical applications due to their unique physicochemical properties such as high electrical and thermal conductivity, enhanced surface Raman scattering, chemical stability, catalytic activity and, most notably, strong antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral effects. Among the methods for AgNP synthesis, green synthesis using plant extracts is of particular interest because of its stability, sustainability, strongbiological activity, safety and environmental friendliness. This work presented the novel data on synthesis of the AgNPs using the Smilax glabra Roxb root extract. The fabricated AgNPs were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy diffractive spectroscopy, and fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The anti-bacterial activity against bacterial pathogens, including antibiotic susceptible and resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Streptococcus mutans, was examined using agar diffusion and spectrophotometric methods at A₇₀₀. The local toxicity of AgNPs was evaluatedin rabbits. The results showed that AgNPs had uniform distribution and spherical shape with the particle size in ranging from 20 to 50 nm. The nanoparticles exhibited antibacterialactivity against all tested microorganisms, including S. aureus ATCC 25923 (antibiotic- susceptible strain), antibiotic-resistant S. aureus strains ATCC 29213, ATCC 12493, 252, E. coli 25922 and dental caries bacterium S. mutans GS-5. Remarkably, no local toxicity of AgNPs was detected in the tested rabbits. Thus, the obtained data support the applications of these AgNPs in practice, such as in oral health care or dermal products.