Plant Mediated Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles by using Leaf Extracts of Dioscorea oppositifolia L. and their Antimicrobial Activity

Plant mediated synthesis of metallic nanoparticles is an increasing commercial demand due to the wide applicability in various areas such as electronics, catalysis, chemistry, energy, cosmetics and medicine. In the present investigation, synthesis of silver nanoparticles by using leaf extracts of Dioscorea oppositifolia (L.) and characterized by using UV spec, FT-IR, DLS and TEM. The extract incubated with agno3 showed gradual change in the colour of the extract from greenish to reddish brown with intensity increasing during the period of incubation. Hence the leaf extract act as a reducing and capping agent. Nanoparticles were characterized by using UV visible absorption spectra, FT-IR. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were generally found to be effective as antimicrobial agents against some important human pathogens which is affecting mostly and cause serious problems to human beings. FT-IR peaks were in the extract ranging from 1000-4000 cm-1 which confirmed the presence of polyphenols with aromatic ring and bound amide region required for the synthesis and stabilization of sliver nanoparticles.