Determination of physicochemical and bioactive properties of metal nanoparticles synthesized using black mulberry (Morus nigra L.) fruit and leaf extracts

Along with the developments in nanotechnology, there has been a revolution in nanoscience. At the same time, interest in nanoparticle (NP) synthesis has also increased. Sustainable, environmentally friendly synthesis approaches have gained importance. Plant polyphenols exhibit reducing properties in NP synthesis and act as capping agents. Due to these capabilities, extracts obtained from whole or parts of plants are used intensively for environmentally friendly and well-defined nanoparticle synthesis. In this study, Morus nigra L., which has a high scalar metabolite content and has not been sufficiently examined in nanotechnological studies, was used. NPs were synthesized from Ag, Cu, Fe and Zn salts using extracts obtained from the fruits and leaves of the plant. Well-capped and stable NP synthesis was confirmed and NPs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. The antioxidant and methylene blue absorption capacities and bioactive activities of the synthesized NPs were determined. In the context of determining the antimicrobial activity, combinations of NPs with selected antibiotics showed synergistic effects against the test microorganisms. The results of anticancer studies using HeLa and HCT116 cell lines revealed that AgNPs have lower IC50 values than cisplatin.