Biosynthesis, and potential effect of fern mediated biocompatible silver nanoparticles by cytotoxicity, antidiabetic, antioxidant and antibacterial, studies

Equisetum arvense is well known to hold numerous bioactive phytochemicals. In biosynthesis of nanoparticles (NPs), the bioactive compounds existing in natural materials like medicinal fern act as reducing and capping elements and this NPs synthesis process do not comprise of any toxic elements making them advantageous from other NPs synthesis process. After collection, identification and extraction of Equisetum arvense (Ea) aqueous extract, the biosynthesis of AgNPs was achieved followed by its characterization and multi-biopotential activity studies. The UV-visible spectroscopy, confirmed the biosynthesis of Ea-AgNPs. X-ray diffraction configurations (XRD) identified the crystalline nature of the NPs. The Elemental composition of the NPs was elucidated by the energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the structure of Ea-AgNPs. Bioactive compounds existing in Ea-extract accounting for Ag + ion reduction, capping and stabilization of NPs was detected by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and the zeta potential was carried out to know the size and charge of Ea-AgNPs. The Ea-AgNPs exhibited high antidiabetic effect in terms of α-glucosidase inhibition, high cytotoxic effect against HepG2 cell lines along with antibacterial and antioxidant effect. This study reports biosynthesis of Ea-AgNPs using aqueous extract of Ea, its substantial anticancer, antidiabetic, antioxidant and antibacterial effects, which could be advantageous to pharmaceutical industries in the controlling of various diseases including diabetes, cancer, and antibacterial related diseases.

Keywords: Antibacterial; Antidiabetic; Antioxidant; Biosynthesis; Cytotoxicity; Fern; Silver nanoparticles.