Department of Biotechnology, GB Pant Engineering College, Pauri, Uttarakhand, India

HAPPRC, H. N. B. Garhwal University (A Central University), Sringar, Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India

The biological synthesis of silver nanoparticles is a revolutionary step in the field of nanotechnology. Macrotyloma uniflorum seeds are known for the removal of kidney stones though no scientific explanation is known regarding the mechanism responsible for its litholytic activity. Here we describe the synthesis of silver nanoparticles through aqueous extract of different parts of M. uniflorum. UV-visible spectroscopy studies were carried out to assess the formation of silver nanoparticles. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) were used to characterize the silver nanoparticles. The resulting images divulge that silver nanoparticles were quite poly-dispersed, the size ranging from 50 nm to 100 nm. Electron Dispersive X-Ray (EDXR) showed the composition of silver nanoparticles as silicon, carbon, zinc, calcium, potassium etc. The initiative of biological synthesis of silver nanoparticles using dried plants biomass appears to be cost effective, eco-friendly as compared to other conventional methods of nanoparticles synthesis. This study suggests that different parts of M. uniflorum have the potential to produce silver nanoparticles. Nanoparticles are intermittently able to react very quickly which makes them useful as catalysts to speed up reactions. Therefore, the biosynthesized silver nanoparticles might be useful for the development of newer and more potent drugs.

Keywords: Macrotyloma uniflorum, Silver nanoparticles, SEM, TEM