No abstract

The biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles with leaf aqueous extract of R. mucronata provides potential source for the larvicidal activity against mosquito borne diseases.

The present study was aimed to identify the antibacterial potential of biosynthesised silver nanoparticles using different plant parts (leaves, bark and root) of Avicenna marina mangrove plant. Of the selected three different parts, the leaf extract showed the maximum synthesis of silver nanoparticles. The in vitro antibacterial assay (100 lg disk-1 concentration) showed the results of maximum zone of inhibition with the E. coli (18.40 ± 0.97 mm), and minimum (10.87 ± 1.33 mm) zone of inhibition with S. aureus but the concentrations of MIC and MBC values ranged between 6.25 and 50.0 lg ml-1 between the selected bacterial strains. The FTIR results of most potent leaf extract-synthesized silver nanoparticles showed the promi

Background: Of recent, immense attention has been given to chitosan in the biomedical eld due to its valuable biochemical and physiological properties such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, non-immunogenicity, reactivity, solubility and non-toxicity. For instance, chitosan has exhibited distinguished bioactivity not limited to only antimicrobial activity but also promotion of wound healing and immune system augmentation in model animals. Therefore, chitosan has attracted application as a nano drug targeted delivery system. Traditionally, the chief source of chitosan is chitin from crab and shrimp shells obtained as waste products in the seafood industry. Chitin is also an important component of sh scales, insects and fungal cell walls, therefore, Uganda's edible mushrooms, Nile perch scales and banana weevils can be used as alternative sources of chitin and obviously chitosan. Thus, the aim of this study was to isolate and characterize chitosan from locally available material for potential use in the biomedical eld. Methods: Chitin was extracted from banana weevils, Nile perch scales and mushrooms powder by demineralization with 1.0M HCl solution, then deproteinization with 1.0M NaOH. Chitosan was prepared by treating chitin with 50% NaOH at 100°C for 8 hrs. Chitosan ash and moisture contents were determined gravimetrically while solubility was computed as percentage dry weight of suspended chitosan. FTIR was used to determine the DD while XRD was used to estimate the crystallinity of chitosan. Results: Ash and moisture contents ranged from 3.5 to 15% and 3.5 to 6.4% respectively while solubility level varied from 57 to 68%. FTIR spectra reveal high degree of similarity between locally isolated chitosan and commercial chitosan with DD ranging from 77.8 to 79.1%. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) patterns exhibited peaks at 2θ values of 19.5° for both chitosan extracted from Mushrooms and banana weevils while chitosan from Nile perch scales registered 3 peaks at 2θ angles of 12.3°, 20.1° and 21.3° comparable to the established commercial chitosan (Sigma Aldrich) XRD pattern. Conclusion: Ash content, moisture content, DD, FTIR spectra and XRD pattern revealed that chitosan isolated from locally available materials has physicochemical properties comparable to conventional chitosan and therefore it can be used in the biomedical eld. Conventionally, the chief sources of chitin are crab and shrimp shells obtained as waste products in the seafood industry [10-11]. Chitin is also an important component of sh scales and cell walls of fungal cells; therefore, Uganda's edible mushrooms and Nile perch scales can be alternative sources of chitin and, obviously non nano-scale and nano-scale chitosan. Production of chitin and its derivatives from renewable resources such as shery wastes and fungi presents sustainability for the ever increasing demands of this polymer. Furthermore, antibiotic resistant bacteria are escalating in prevalence globally with consequential infections which are hard and costly to treat [12]. This is support...