Bio-Fabrication of Silver Nanoparticles: Murdannia pauciflora (G. Brückn) Structural Analysis and Multifunctional Biological Properties

Background: Murdannia pauciflora is an ethnomedicinally important plant known for its diverse therapeutic properties. This study reports, for the first time, the green synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs) using aqueous extract of M. pauciflora and evaluates their phytochemical composition and biological activities. Materials and Methods: Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of phenols, alkaloids, tannins, glycosides, flavonoids, and saponins. GC-MS analysis identified 98 bioactive compounds, indicating the rich phytochemical profile of the plant extract and its suitability for nanoparticle synthesis. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, DLS, zeta potential analysis, and TEM. Characterization results confirmed the successful formation of stable nanoparticles with a Face-Centered Cubic (FCC) crystalline structure and predominantly rectangular morphology. Results: The AgNPs exhibited an average particle size of approximately 12 nm and a zeta potential value of -30 mV, suggesting good stability and uniform surface distribution. Biological studies demonstrated that AgNPs possessed notable pharmacological activities. Cytotoxicity evaluation against pancreatic cancer cells showed an IC₅₀ value of 500 µg/mL, whereas no inhibitory effect was observed against HepG2 liver cancer cells. Conclusion: The nanoparticles also exhibited significant α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with an IC₅₀ value of 78.44 µg/mL, indicating potential antidiabetic properties. Furthermore, antioxidant activity was observed with a free radical scavenging IC₅₀ value of 82.65288 µg/mL. Overall, the green-synthesized M. pauciflora AgNPs demonstrated promising antioxidant, antidiabetic, and cytotoxic activities, highlighting their potential applications in biomedicine, cancer therapy, drug delivery, and antidiabetic formulations.