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Synthesis, Bioactivity Evaluation and Application of Plant-Based Nanoparticles

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2022) | Viewed by 19040

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Saveetha Dental College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical And Technical Sciences SIMATS, Chennai 600077, India
Interests: synthesis of nanoparticles; microbiological analysis; molecular biology; characterization technique; nanoformulation
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Guest Editor
DKM College for Women (Autonomous), Vellore Tamilnadu, India
Interests: inorganic chemistry; tissue engineering; biocomposites; polymers; nanotechnology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past few decades, the increasing requirement for green chemistry and nanotechnology has led to the adoption of green synthetic routes for the synthesis of nanomaterials using plants. Hence, researchers have increasingly studied the green synthesis of nanomaterials as an eco-friendly path, and a great deal of research has been conducted in recent years on the synthesis of nanomaterials using plants as a non-toxic, cost-effective, accessible, easy, and environmentally friendly synthetic pathway. Nanomaterials synthesized through green chemistry are non-toxic and can be a good choice for medical applications such as drug delivery, imaging, biotechnology, and biomedicine. In the case of drug delivery, these nanomaterials can be a launching pad for the treatment of many diseases, including cancer. The synthesis of nanomaterials can be achieved through a variety of well-established synthetic routes (e.g., physical, chemical, and biosynthetic). Commonly, the used chemical methods are too expensive and employ hazardous and toxic chemicals which impose various risks upon the environment. The biosynthetic route is a safe, biocompatible, environment-friendly green approach to synthesize nanomaterials using plants for biomedical applications. This synthesis can be carried out using plant parts such as leaves, fruits, roots, stems, and seeds. According to the unique characteristics of green-synthesized nanomaterials, they can be very suitable candidates for medical applications such as drug delivery, imaging, MRI, etc. with the purpose of treating a variety of diseases.

In this Special Issue, we invite investigators to contribute short communications, full research articles, and timely reviews related to the green synthesis (especially plant-based) of nanomaterials, their characterization, and their application in medicine. Potential topics include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Green synthesis;
  • Nanoparticles;
  • Inorganic chemistry;
  • Nanotechnology;
  • Plant Molecular Biology.

Dr. Govindasamy Rajakumar
Dr. P. N. Sudha
Dr. Muthu Thiruvengadam
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • plant-based nanoparticle synthesis and characterization
  • therapeutic nanoparticles
  • biological activity
  • drug delivery systems
  • pharmaceutical nanotechnology
  • nanoformulation
  • natural products
  • metal nanoparticles
  • metal oxide nanoparticles
  • cancer

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 172 KiB  
Editorial
Synthesis, Bioactivity Evaluation and Application of Plant-Based Nanoparticles
by Govindasamy Rajakumar, Parappurath Narayanan Sudha and Muthu Thiruvengadam
Molecules 2023, 28(12), 4783; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28124783 - 15 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 717
Abstract
Environmental and biomedical fields have various potential applications for the green synthesis of nanoparticles [...] Full article

Research

Jump to: Editorial

16 pages, 7180 KiB  
Article
Selenium Nanoparticles Based on Morinda officinalis Polysaccharides: Characterization, Anti-Cancer Activities, and Immune-Enhancing Activities Evaluation In Vitro
by Mengxin Yao, Yuan Deng, Zhimin Zhao, Depo Yang, Guohui Wan and Xinjun Xu
Molecules 2023, 28(6), 2426; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28062426 - 07 Mar 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1926
Abstract
Recently, selenium nanoparticles have been drawing attention worldwide, and it is crucial to increase the stability of nano-Se. Morinda officinalis polysaccharides (MOP) are the main active component in Morinda officinalis radix. However, their low activity has limited their application. A novel selenium nanoparticle [...] Read more.
Recently, selenium nanoparticles have been drawing attention worldwide, and it is crucial to increase the stability of nano-Se. Morinda officinalis polysaccharides (MOP) are the main active component in Morinda officinalis radix. However, their low activity has limited their application. A novel selenium nanoparticle (Se-MOP) was prepared to solve these problems using MOP as a dispersant. The zeta potential was measured to evaluate the stability, and UV and ATR-FTIR were used to investigate the binding type of selenium and MOP. The morphology was observed by the TEM method. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect on five selected cancer cells (HepG2, MCF-7, AGS, PC9, and HCT8) was evaluated, showing remarkable inhibition of all five cancer cells. The mechanism of inhibition was also investigated by cell circle assay, and it was found that Se-MOP could induce cell circle G0/G1 phase arrest. Immune-enhancing activities were evaluated by measuring the proliferation and cytokines of mouse spleen lymphocytes in vitro and quantitative RT-PCR. The results indicated that single stimulation of Se-MOP and synergistic stimulation with PHA or LPS increased immune capacity and improved immune by increasing the expression of cytokines. Full article
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15 pages, 4004 KiB  
Article
Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Aerial Part Extract of the Anthemis pseudocotula Boiss. Plant and Their Biological Activity
by Abdul-Wali Ajlouni, Eman H. Hamdan, Rasha Awwadh Eid Alshalawi, Mohammed Rafi Shaik, Mujeeb Khan, Mufsir Kuniyil, Abdulrahman Alwarthan, Mohammad Azam Ansari, Merajuddin Khan, Hamad Z. Alkhathlan, Jilani P. Shaik and Syed Farooq Adil
Molecules 2023, 28(1), 246; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28010246 - 28 Dec 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2642
Abstract
Green syntheses of metallic nanoparticles using plant extracts as effective sources of reductants and stabilizers have attracted decent popularity due to their non-toxicity, environmental friendliness and rapid nature. The current study demonstrates the ecofriendly, facile and inexpensive synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AP-AgNPs) using [...] Read more.
Green syntheses of metallic nanoparticles using plant extracts as effective sources of reductants and stabilizers have attracted decent popularity due to their non-toxicity, environmental friendliness and rapid nature. The current study demonstrates the ecofriendly, facile and inexpensive synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AP-AgNPs) using the extract of aerial parts of the Anthemis pseudocotula Boiss. plant (AP). Herein, the aerial parts extract of AP performed a twin role of a reducing as well as a stabilizing agent. The green synthesized AP-AgNPs were characterized by several techniques such as XRD, UV-Vis, FT-IR, TEM, SEM and EDX. Furthermore, the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of as-prepared AP-AgNPs were examined by a standard two-fold microbroth dilution method and tissue culture plate methods, respectively, against several Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial strains and fungal species such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDR-PA) and Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR-AB), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and Candida albicans (C. albicans) strains. The antimicrobial activity results clearly indicated that the Gram-negative bacteria MDR-PA was most affected by AgNPs as compared to other Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and fungi C. albicans. Whereas, in the case of antibiofilm activity, it has been found that AgNPs at 0.039 mg/mL, inhibit biofilms formation of Gram-negative bacteria i.e., MDR-PA, E. coli, and MDR-AB by 78.98 ± 1.12, 65.77 ± 1.05 and 66.94 ± 1.35%, respectively. On the other hand, at the same dose (i.e., 0.039 mg/mL), AP-AgNPs inhibits biofilm formation of Gram-positive bacteria i.e., MRSA, S. aureus and fungi C. albicans by 67.81 ± 0.99, 54.61 ± 1.11 and 56.22 ± 1.06%, respectively. The present work indicates the efficiency of green synthesized AP-AgNPs as good antimicrobial and antibiofilm agents against selected bacterial and fungal species. Full article
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16 pages, 2000 KiB  
Article
Antimicrobial Activity of Silver and Gold Nanoparticles Prepared by Photoreduction Process with Leaves and Fruit Extracts of Plinia cauliflora and Punica granatum
by Marcia Regina Franzolin, Daniella dos Santos Courrol, Flavia Rodrigues de Oliveira Silva and Lilia Coronato Courrol
Molecules 2022, 27(20), 6860; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27206860 - 13 Oct 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 1796
Abstract
The increased number of resistant microbes generates a search for new antibiotic methods. Metallic nanoparticles have emerged as a new platform against several microorganisms. The nanoparticles can damage the bacteria membrane and DNA by oxidative stress. The photoreduction process is a clean and [...] Read more.
The increased number of resistant microbes generates a search for new antibiotic methods. Metallic nanoparticles have emerged as a new platform against several microorganisms. The nanoparticles can damage the bacteria membrane and DNA by oxidative stress. The photoreduction process is a clean and low-cost method for obtaining silver and gold nanoparticles. This work describes two original insights: (1) the use of extracts of leaves and fruits from a Brazilian plant Plinia cauliflora, compared with a well know plant Punica granatum, and (2) the use of phytochemicals as stabilizing agents in the photoreduction process. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by UV-vis, FTIR, transmission electron microscopy, and Zeta potential. The antimicrobial activity of nanoparticles was obtained with Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, particularly the pathogens Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923; Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633; clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Enterococcus faecalis; Escherichia coli ATCC 25922; Escherichia coli O44:H18 EAEC042 (clinical isolate); Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 700603, Salmonella Thiphymurium ATCC 10231; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853; and Candida albicans ATCC 10231. Excellent synthesis results were obtained. The AgNPs exhibited antimicrobial activities against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and yeast (80–100%), better than AuNPs (0–87.92%), and may have the potential to be used as antimicrobial agents. Full article
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14 pages, 2436 KiB  
Article
Thiourea-Capped Nanoapatites Amplify Osmotic Stress Tolerance in Zea mays L. by Conserving Photosynthetic Pigments, Osmolytes Biosynthesis and Antioxidant Biosystems
by Sana Faryal, Rehman Ullah, Muhammad Nauman Khan, Baber Ali, Aqsa Hafeez, Mariusz Jaremko and Kamal Ahmad Qureshi
Molecules 2022, 27(18), 5744; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27185744 - 06 Sep 2022
Cited by 51 | Viewed by 2766
Abstract
Salinity is one of the most prevalent abiotic stresses which not only limits plant growth and yield, but also limits the quality of food products. This study was conducted on the surface functionalization of phosphorus-rich mineral apatite nanoparticles (ANPs), with thiourea as a [...] Read more.
Salinity is one of the most prevalent abiotic stresses which not only limits plant growth and yield, but also limits the quality of food products. This study was conducted on the surface functionalization of phosphorus-rich mineral apatite nanoparticles (ANPs), with thiourea as a source of nitrogen (TU–ANPs) and through a co-precipitation technique for inducing osmotic stress tolerance in Zea mays. The resulting thiourea-capped apatite nanostructure (TU–ANP) was characterized using complementary analytical techniques, such as EDX, SEM, XRD and IR spectroscopy. The pre-sowing of soaked seeds of Zea mays in 1.00 µg/mL, 5.00 µg/mL and 10 µg/mL of TU–ANPs yielded growth under 0 mM, 60 mM and 100 mM osmotic stress of NaCl. The results show that Ca and P salt acted as precursors for the synthesis of ANPs at an alkaline pH of 10–11. Thiourea as a source of nitrogen stabilized the ANPs’ suspension medium, leading to the synthesis of TU–ANPs. XRD diffraction analysis validated the crystalline nature of TU–ANPs with lattice dimensions of 29 nm, calculated from FWHM using the Sherrer equation. SEM revealed spherical morphology with polydispersion in size distribution. EDS confirmed the presence of Ca and P at a characteristic KeV, whereas IR spectroscopy showed certain stretches of binding functional groups associated with TU–ANPs. Seed priming with TU–ANPs standardized germination indices (T50, MGT, GI and GP) which were significantly declined by NaCl-based osmotic stress. Maximum values for biochemical parameters, such as sugar (39.8 mg/g at 10 µg/mL), protein (139.8 mg/g at 10 µg/mL) and proline (74.1 mg/g at 10 µg/mL) were recorded at different applied doses of TU–ANP. Antioxidant biosystems in the form of EC 1.11.1.6 catalase (11.34 IU/g FW at 10 µg/mL), EC 1.11.1.11 APX (0.95 IU/G FW at 10 µg/mL), EC 1.15.1.1 SOD (1.42 IU/g FW at 5 µg/mL), EC 1.11.1.7 POD (0.43 IU/g FW at 5 µg/mL) were significantly restored under osmotic stress. Moreover, photosynthetic pigments, such as chlorophyll A (2.33 mg/g at 5 µg/mL), chlorophyll B (1.99 mg/g at 5 µg/mL) and carotenoids (2.52 mg/g at 10 µg/mL), were significantly amplified under osmotic stress via the application of TU–ANPs. Hence, the application of TU–ANPs restores the growth performance of plants subjected to induced osmotic stress. Full article
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16 pages, 4487 KiB  
Article
Green Synthesis and Characterization of Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticles Using Psidium guajava Leaves Extracts and Their Photocatalytic and Biological Activities
by Rajakumar Govindasamy, Vaishnavi Raja, Sonalika Singh, Mydhili Govindarasu, Sulthana Sabura, Kaliaperumal Rekha, V. Devi Rajeswari, Salman S. Alharthi, Manju Vaiyapuri, Rajagopal Sudarmani, S. Jesurani, Baskar Venkidasamy and Muthu Thiruvengadam
Molecules 2022, 27(17), 5646; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27175646 - 01 Sep 2022
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3653
Abstract
The advanced technology for synthesizing nanoparticles utilizes natural resources in an environmentally friendly manner. Additionally, green synthesis is preferred to chemical and physical synthesis because it takes less time and effort. The green synthesis of cobalt oxide nanoparticles has recently risen due to [...] Read more.
The advanced technology for synthesizing nanoparticles utilizes natural resources in an environmentally friendly manner. Additionally, green synthesis is preferred to chemical and physical synthesis because it takes less time and effort. The green synthesis of cobalt oxide nanoparticles has recently risen due to its physico-chemical properties. In this study, many functional groups present in Psidium guajava leaf extracts are used to stabilize the synthesis of cobalt oxide nanoparticles. The biosynthesized cobalt oxide nanoparticles were investigated using UV-visible spectroscopic analysis. Additionally, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy revealed the presence of carboxylic acids, hydroxyl groups, aromatic amines, alcohols and phenolic groups. The X-ray diffraction analysis showed various peaks ranging from 32.35 to 67.35°, and the highest intensity showed at 36.69°. The particle size ranged from 26 to 40 nm and confirmed the average particle size is 30.9 nm. The green synthesized P. guajava cobalt oxide nanoparticles contain cobalt as the major abundant element, with 42.26 wt% and 18.75 at% confirmed by the EDAX techniques. SEM images of green synthesized P. guajava cobalt oxide nanoparticles showed agglomerated and non-uniform spherical particles. The anti-bacterial activity of green synthesized P. guajava cobalt oxide nanoparticles was evaluated against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli with a 7 to 18 mm inhibitory zone. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated using green synthesized P. guajava cobalt oxide nanoparticles and observed 79% of dye degradation. The MTT assay of P. guajava cobalt oxide nanoparticles showed an excellent cytotoxic effect against MCF 7 and HCT 116 cells compared to normal cells. The percentage of cell viability of P. guajava cobalt oxide nanoparticles was observed as 90, 83, 77, 68, 61, 58 and 52% for MCF-7 cells and 82, 70, 63, 51, 43, 40, and 37% for HCT 116 cells at the concentration of 1.53, 3.06, 6.12, 12.24, 24.48, 50, and 100 μg/mL compared to control cells. These results confirmed that green synthesized P. guajava cobalt oxide nanoparticles have a potential photocatalytic and anti-bacterial activity and also reduced cell viability against MCF-7 breast cancer and HCT 116 colorectal cancer cells. Full article
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19 pages, 885 KiB  
Article
Impact of Green Chitosan Nanoparticles Fabricated from Shrimp Processing Waste as a Source of Nano Nitrogen Fertilizers on the Yield Quantity and Quality of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Cultivars
by Ahmed M. Saad, Aya Yaseen Mahmood Alabdali, Mohamed Ebaid, Eslam Salama, Mohamed T. El-Saadony, Samy Selim, Fatmah A. Safhi, Salha M. ALshamrani, Hanan Abdalla, Ayman H. A. Mahdi and Fathy M. A. El-Saadony
Molecules 2022, 27(17), 5640; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27175640 - 01 Sep 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2356
Abstract
Waste from crustaceans has adverse effects on the environment. In this respect, shrimp waste was valorized for producing chitosan nanoparticles as a source for eco-friendly nano-nitrogen fertilizer. The application of nano-nitrogen fertilizers is a valuable alternative approach in agriculture due to its potential [...] Read more.
Waste from crustaceans has adverse effects on the environment. In this respect, shrimp waste was valorized for producing chitosan nanoparticles as a source for eco-friendly nano-nitrogen fertilizer. The application of nano-nitrogen fertilizers is a valuable alternative approach in agriculture due to its potential for reducing the application of mineral nitrogen fertilizers and increasing yield quality and quantity, thereby helping to reduce the worldwide food shortage. Chitosan nanoparticles were foliar sprayed at three volumes (0, 7, and 14 L/ha) and compared with mineral nitrogen fertilizer (M-N) sprayed at three volumes (0, 120, and 240 kg N/ha) and their combination on two wheat cultivars (Misr-1 and Gemaiza-11) during two consecutive seasons (2019/2020 and 2020/2021) in order to evaluate the agronomic response. The synthesized chitosan nanoparticles displayed characteristic bands of both Nan-N and urea/chitosan from 500–4000 cm−1. They are stable and have a huge surface area of 73.21 m2 g−1. The results revealed significant differences among wheat cultivars, fertilization applications, individual or combined, and their interactions for yield-contributing traits. Foliar application of nano-nitrogen fertilizer at 14 L/ha combined with mineral fertilizer at 240 kg/ha significantly increased total chlorophyll content by 41 and 31% compared to control; concerning plant height, the two cultivars recorded the tallest plants (86.2 and 86.5 cm) compared to control. On the other hand, the heaviest 1000-grain weight (55.8 and 57.4 g) was recorded with treatment of 120 kg Mn-N and 14 L Nan-N/ha compared to the control (47.6 and 45.5 g). The Misr-1 cultivar achieved the highest values for grain yield and nitrogen (1.30 and 1.91 mg/L) and potassium (9.87 and 9.81 mg/L) in the two studied seasons when foliarly sprayed with the combination of 120 kg Mn-N/ha + 14 L Nan-N/ha compared to the Gemaiza-11 cultivar. It can be concluded that Misr-1 exhibited higher levels of total chlorophyll content, spike length, 100-grain weight, grain yield in kg/ha, and nitrogen and potassium. However, Gemaiza-11 displayed higher biomass and straw yield values, plant height, and sodium concentration values. It could be economically recommended to use the application of 120 kg Mn-N/ha + 14 L Nan-N/ha on the Misr-1 cultivar to achieve the highest crop yield. Full article
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21 pages, 2101 KiB  
Article
Plant-Based Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Trigger Biochemical and Proteome Modifications in Triticum aestivum L. under Biotic Stress of Puccinia striiformis
by Seema Hassan Satti, Naveed Iqbal Raja, Muhammad Ikram, Hesham F. Oraby, Zia-Ur-Rehman Mashwani, Azza H. Mohamed, Ajit Singh and Ahmad A. Omar
Molecules 2022, 27(13), 4274; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27134274 - 02 Jul 2022
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 2403
Abstract
In this study, we evaluated bioinspired titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) that elicited biochemical and proteome modifications in wheat plants under the biotic stress caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst). Biosynthesis of TiO2 NPs was confirmed [...] Read more.
In this study, we evaluated bioinspired titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) that elicited biochemical and proteome modifications in wheat plants under the biotic stress caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst). Biosynthesis of TiO2 NPs was confirmed using UV–Vis spectrophotometry, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. We found that the nanoparticles with crystalline nature were smaller than 100 nm. The results of FTIR analysis showed the presence of potential functional groups exhibiting O-H, N-H, C-C, and Ti-O stretching. The TiO2 NPs of different concentrations (20, 40, 60, and 80 mg L−1) were exogenously applied to wheat plants under the biotic stress caused by Pst, which is responsible for yellow stripe rust disease. The results of the assessment of disease incidence and percent disease index displayed time- and dose-dependent responses. The 40 mg L−1 TiO2 NPs were the most effective in decreasing disease severity. The bioinspired TiO2 NPs were also evaluated for enzymatic (superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT)), and nonenzymatic metabolites (total proline, phenolic, and flavonoid contents) in wheat plants under stripe rust stress. The 40 mg L−1 TiO2 NPs were effective in eliciting biochemical modifications to reduce biotic stress. We further evaluated the effects of TiO2 NPs through gel- and label-free liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) proteome analysis. We performed proteome analysis of infected wheat leaves and leaves treated with 40 mg L−1 TiO2 NPs under stripe rust stress. The functional classification of the proteins showed downregulation of proteins related to protein and carbohydrate metabolism, as well as of photosynthesis in plants under biotic stress. An upregulation of stress-related proteins was observed, including the defense mechanisms and primary metabolic pathways in plants treated with 40 mg L−1 TiO2 NPs under stress. The experimental results showed the potential of applying biogenic TiO2 NPs to combat fungal diseases of wheat plants and provided insight into the protein expression of plants in response to biotic stress. Full article
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