Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using leaf extracts of Withania coagulans

The "Green Synthesis" method is the most cost-effective and sustainable approach to synthesizing nanoparticles using naturally occurring microbes and plants. The advantages of green synthesis include the ability to produce nanoparticles with consistent shapes and sizes, eliminating harmful chemicals, reducing waste production, and ease of application. Withania coagulans, commonly known as Indian rennet, is a remarkable plant used in both Unani and Ayurvedic medicine to treat various diseases. It is a rich source of bioactive compounds called withanolides. W. coagulans offers several advantages for the green synthesis of nanoparticles, including economic feasibility, prevention of microbial contamination, effective capping and reduction properties, and the absence of harmful chemicals. This research focused on synthesizing AgNPs using both methanolic and aqueous extracts of W. coagulans. AgNPs were successfully synthesized from the leaf extracts of W. coagulans, with a qualitative analysis of phenolic compounds conducted using the FeCl3 test. The characterization of the AgNPs involved UV-VIS spectroscopy and SEM/EDS. The methanolic extract of W. coagulans showed positive results, indicating the presence of phenolic compounds. In contrast, the aqueous extract appeared to contain only a negligible amount of phenolics. The nanoparticles were predominantly spherical and exhibited a polydisperse size distribution, ranging from 50 to 80 nanometers. EDS analysis confirmed the presence of elemental silver. These findings underscore the potential of W. coagulans, particularly its methanolic extract, as an effective green synthesizing agent for AgNPs.