Synthesis of AgNPs and Ag@MoS2 nanocomposites by dracocephalum kotschyi aqueous extract and their antiacetylcholinesterase activities

ABSTRACT

Green synthesis of metal nanoparticles and nanocomposites offers numerous advantages over conventional methods. The present study deals with the synthesis of Ag nanoparticles and Ag@MoS2 nanocomposites by Dracocephalum kotschyi extract as a reductant and a stabilising agent. The influence of extract volume, reaction temperature, contact time and pH on the synthesis of d-AgNPs was investigated. Further, the modified MoS2 using D. kotschyi extract (d-MoS2) could deposit Ag+ ions onto the MoS2 nanosheets surface, reduce the ions to AgNPs, and stabilise the reduced particles effectively. The synthesised nanostructures were characterised by XRD, SEM-EDS, TEM, Zeta potential and FT-IR analysis. Ag nanoparticles are spherical with diameter of 58–75 nm for d-AgNPs and 35–55 nm for Ag@d-MoS2, respectively. The d-AgNPs exhibited high activity in the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase. Also, loading of AgNPs on MoS2 nanosheets resulted in the increase of inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase compared to MoS2 nanosheets.

KEYWORDS:

• Dracocephalum kotschyi
• d-AgNPs
• molybdenum disulphide
• Ag@d-MoS2 nanocomposite
• acetylcholinesterase inhibitory

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Acknowledgments

Financial support of this work by Lorestan University is gratefully acknowledged.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).