Phytofabrication of fluorescent silver nanoparticles from Leucaena leucocephala L. leaves and their biological activities

The aim of this study was to expand an ecofriendly route for the fabrication of spherical shape silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using an aqueous extract of Leucaena leucocephala L. leaves to act as stabilizing and reducing agent. Several biomolecules present in plant extract are accountable for single step reduction of metal ions into nanoparticles. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) profile, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and Photoluminescence. Besides these, AgNPs evinced potent antibacterial, antimalarial and antimycobacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Bacillus subtilis, Plasmodium falciparum and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The results suggest that the efficiently synthesized AgNPs can be used as potential candidates for various medicinal applications in bionanotechnology based industries.