Validation of silver nanoparticles isolated from roots of Plumbago zeylanica L.-An ethnomedicinal plant for skin diseases

Plumbago zeylanica L. multipurpose medicinal herb for the treatment of various skin diseases. Objectives: An attempt has been made to screen this important medicinal plant for secondary metabolites; and biogenesis of silver nanoparticles (SNPs) and test their antimicrobial efficacy. Materials and methods: Root extract of Plumbago zeylanica was prepared and screened for different secondary metabolites; this aqueous extract was subjected to AgNO3 to synthesize silver nanoparticles (SNPs), synthesis was confirmed by U.V-VIS spectroscopy and characterized by AFM; and toxicity of SNPs was tested against bacteria and fungi by paper disc diffusion method. Results and Discussion: The results indicate that the root of Plumbago zeylanica is source for different secondary metabolites like alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, steroids, tannins and triterpenoids. The SNPs formation from root extract was confirmed with the help of UV-VIS spectroscopy and characterized by AFM. The size of the SNPs was measured 40.9 nm with various shapes. The SNPs are having high toxic effect towards microorganisms than that of plant extract. Moreover the SNPs of Plumbago zeylanica root extract having high toxicity towards bacterial species than that of fungal species. Conclusion: The secondary metabolites of Plumbago zeylanica will be helpful to the phytochemists and pharmacologists for identification of new active principles and the environmentally benign SNPs can be used effectively against drug resistant bacterial and fungal strains.