Biosynthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles from Scutellaria baicalensis roots and in vitro applications

Biosynthesis of nanoparticles using various plant materials is classified as a green technology because this production method does not employ toxic chemicals. The main purpose of this research was to identify the potential for Scutellaria baicalensis ( S. baicalensis ) roots to synthesize gold (Sb-AuNPs) and silver (Sb-AgNPs) nanoparticles by a simple green method and to evaluate its efficacy. S. baicalensis roots were used to synthesize gold and silver nanoparticles by the bioreduction of gold (III) chloride trihydrate (HAuCl 4 · 3H 2 O) and silver nitrate (AgNO 3 ), respectively. Furthermore, the UV–Vis, field-emission transmission electron microscopy (FE-TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) techniques were used to characterize these particles. The surface plasmon resonances were measured using UV–Vis spectroscopy. The crystallization, structural, and morphological configurations were investigated by FE-TEM, EDX, and XRD, respectively. Functional groups were identified using FT-IR. Both nanoparticles were also evaluated for their antioxidant activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Additional testing was performed on Sb-AgNPs for antimicrobial potential against Escherichia coli ( E. coli ), and Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ). Nanoparticles were explored in murine macrophage (RAW264.7) and human lung adenocarcinoma (A549) cell lines to determine the enhanced toxicity responses in normal and cancerous cells. The above results suggested that nanoparticles with possible biological efficacy can be developed for nanopharmacological relevance in biomedical applications.