Plant-extract-assisted green synthesis and its larvicidal activities of silver nanoparticles using leaf extract of Citrus medica, Tagetes lemmonii, and Tarenna asiatica

Abstract Silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) dominates in materials and biomedical fields owing to various properties and beneficial characters. To date, the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is more appreciated due to their harmless behavior and character. In this study, we biosynthesized AgNPs using extracts of Citrus medica, Tagetes lemmonii, and Tarenna asiatica as a reducing and capping agent. The Ultra Violet-visible (UV–vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analyses revealed the active metabolites and crystalline structure of the three plants responsible for the biogenic reduction and capping of the AgNPs. On the other hand, the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) showed that the AgNPs assisted by T. asiatica were cuboid in structure, whereas AgNPs assisted by T. lemmonii and C. medica were spherical. Additionally, the larvicidal activities of these samples were also evaluated. The observed LC50 values performed the larvicidal potential of the three plants assisted AgNPs against Aedes aegypti in the order of T. lemmonii-Ag NPs > C. medica-Ag NPs > T. asiatica-Ag NPs. In summary, all three plants, which could effectively reduce Ag+ and cap the AgNPs forming efficient nanoparticles, can inhibit the development of A. aegypti.