Biomedical potentialities of Taraxacum officinale-based nanoparticles biosynthesized using methanolic leaf extract

Background: In the present study, the potential of methanolic leaf extract of Taraxacum officinale plant as a function of bio-inspired green synthesis for the fabrication of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has been explored. Methods: The bio-reduction of aqueous silver nitrate (AgNO₃) solution was confirmed by visually detecting the color change from pale yellow to blackish-brown. Maximum absorbance was observed at 420 nm due to the presence of characteristic surface Plasmon resonance of nano silver by UV-visible spectroscopy. The role of various functional groups in the bio-reduction of silver and chemical transformation was verified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) predict the shape (rocky, flack type, ellipsoidal, etc.), size (68 nm) and elemental composition (Ag as a major constituent) of the biosynthesized AgNPs, respectively. Results: Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis further corroborated the morphology of the AgNPs. Color mapping and atomic force microscopy (AFM) confirmed the nano-sized topography. The dynamic light scattering (DLS) showed the charge, stability, and size of the AgNPs. The generated AgNPs presented potential antibacterial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Haemophilus influenzae. The biosynthesized AgNPs also showed antiproliferative activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cell line in a dosedependent manner. Conclusion: In conclusion, results clearly indicate that biosynthesized AgNPs could be used as effective nano drug for treating infectious diseases caused by multidrug resistant bacterial strains in the near future.