Abstract
A simple, cost-effective and eco-friendly synthesis technique of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the extracts of palm date seeds (DS) and their applicability in the biomedical field have been developed. Palm date seeds (DS) were used as reducing and stabilising agents in the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Different preparation techniques have been tested for the green-synthesis of AgNPs using DS extracted by different solvent media at different conditions. The solvents used were water, boiling water, acidic media, alkaline media, methanol and ethanol. The formation of AgNPs was confirmed using surface plasmon resonance band (SPR) at λ = 450 nm. Water and alkaline DS extracts have given high absorbance of well-defined SPR band. On contrary, acidic extracts have given random SPR with weak absorbance. DS extracts obtained using boiling water have shown small and broad absorbance of SPR band. It was found that the formation of AgNPs in water was more efficient than in methanol and ethanol. AgNPs were characterised by TEM. In addition, AgNPs have been used as a carrier for piroxicam anti-inflammatory drug and were characterised using FTIR. The anti-inflammatory effect of piroxicam-loaded AgNPs has been studied using the inhibition of albumin denaturation and has shown a considerable increase in protein denaturation inhibition (34.1% I) if compared to the standard piroxicam's 19.9% inhibition.