Eco-friendly and green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using leaf extract of Strychnos potatorum Linn.F. and their bactericidal activities

Inspired green synthesis of metallic nanoparticles is evolving as an important branch of nanotechnology. Traditionally these are manufactured by wet chemical methods which require toxic and flammable chemicals. We report for the first time an economic and eco-friendly green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Strychnos potatorum aqueous leaf extract from 3 mM silver nitrate solution. Nanoparticles thus formed are confirmed and characterized by using UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy, SEM and XRD measurements. The XRD and SEM analysis showed the average particle size of nanoparticles as 28 nm as well as revealed their (mixed, i.e., cubic and hexagonal) structure. Further, these green synthesized nanoparticles showed bactericidal activity against multidrug-resistant human pathogenic bacteria.