Plant mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Punica granatum aqueous leaf extract

Abstract

Punica granatum has been used for thousands of years to cure a wide range of diseases across different cultures and civilizations. The leaves of Punica granatum are used to calm stomach disorders, combat diarrhea, dysentery and hemorrhages, conjunctivitis etc. Recently the synthesis of nanoparticles mediated by plant leaf extracts for medicinal purposes is gaining grounds. Many workers have reported that the silver nanopartlces synthesized by aqueous leaf extracts are medicinally more efficient as compared to the leaf extracts itself. Thus in this study we report the synthesis and characterization of Punica granatum aqueous leaf extract mediated silver nanoparticles. For synthesis of the silver nanoparticles, the leaves of Punica granatum were collected and dried in shade and extracted in aqueous medium using Soxhlet extraction apparatus. The extract was used for synthesis of silver nanoparticles. The characterization of silver nanoparticles was done and the formation of silver nanoparticles was confirmed by change in the colour of solution from yellow to dark brown. The silver nanoparticles thus formed were subjected to UV-vis spectrophotometer, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and Fourier-Transform Infra-red (FTIR) analysis for further characterization of the formed nanoparticles. Thus in this study we report the formation of silver nanoparticles in the range of 88.00 to 120nm and average size of particles were confirmed to be 98.93nm.