Biogenic silver and gold nanoparticles synthesized using red ginseng root extract, and their applications

Abstract

In the present study, we report a green methodology for the synthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles, using the root extract of the herbal medicinal plant Korean red ginseng. The silver and gold nanoparticles were synthesized within 1 h and 10 min respectively. The nanoparticles generated were not aggregated, and remained stable for a long time, which suggests the nature of nanoparticles. The phytochemicals and ginsenosides present in the root extract assist in reducing and stabilizing the synthesized nanoparticles. The red ginseng root extract-generated silver nanoparticles exhibit antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microorganisms including Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Candida albicans. In addition, the silver nanoparticles exhibit biofilm degrading activity against S. aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Thus, the present study opens up a new possibility of synthesizing silver and gold nanoparticles in a green and rapid manner using Korean red ginseng root extract, and explores their biomedical applications.

Keywords::

• antimicrobial activity
• biofilm degrading activity
• gold nanoparticles
• Korean red ginseng root extract
• silver nanoparticles

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a post-doctoral fellowship grant from the Kyung Hee University in 20110213.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no declarations of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.