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Background Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have fascinated extensive interest owing to their potential applications, especially in biomedicine.Materials and methods Through this investigation, AgNPs were green synthesized from AgNO3 using Nigella sativa and Piper nigrum aqueous seed extracts as a reducing agent. Biosynthesized AgNPs were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, zeta potential, and dynamic light scattering. Antibacterial, antiviral, and anticancer activities of AgNPs were studied. Furthermore, the effect of biosynthesized AgNPs on seed germination and seedling growth of Vicia faba and Zea mays was determined.Results and conclusion Results evoked the ability of N. sativa and P. nigrum aqueous seed extracts to build up AgNPs in spherical shape with average size of 20 and 50 nm, respectively, by using transmission electron microscopy analysis. The results indicate the ability of N. sativa and P. nigrum AgNPs to inhibit both tested gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. It is conceivable from the results that AgNPs of the N. sativa and P. nigrum are markedly effective against herpes simplex virus-1 in terms of decreased viral load and mortality, exhibiting 83.23 and 94.54% of antiviral activity, respectively. Furthermore, in-vitro studies of N. sativa and P. nigrum AgNPs against hepatocellular carcinoma have shown good cytotoxic effect, with IC50 values equal to 7.12 and 4.98 µg/ml, respectively. AgNPs exert a promoting action on seed germination percentage and seedling growth of both Vicia faba and Zea mays. This study indicated an economical, simple, and efficient ecofriendly technique using aqueous seed extracts of N. sativa and P. nigrum L. for synthesis of AgNPs and confirmed that green AgNPs are safer.
Mahfouz et al. (Wed,) studied this question.