Comparative analysis of stability and biological activities of violacein and starch capped silver nanoparticles

Sania Arif; Aamina Batool; Nauman Khalid; Iftikhar Ahmed; Hussnain Ahmed Janjua

doi:10.1039/C6RA25806A

Comparative analysis of stability and biological activities of violacein and starch capped silver nanoparticles†

Sania Arif,^a Aamina Batool,^b Nauman Khalid,

^cd Iftikhar Ahmed^e and Hussnain Ahmed Janjua

*^a

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* Corresponding authors

^a Department of Industrial Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan
E-mail: hussnain.janjua@asab.nust.edu.pk, janjua.hussnain@gmail.com
Tel: +92 323 5680231

^b School of Chemical and Material Engineering, National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan

^c School of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Management and Technology, Lahore 54000, Pakistan

^d Centre for Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia

^e Institute of Microbial Culture Collection of Pakistan (IMCCP), National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Park Road, Islamabad-45500, Pakistan

Abstract

Violacein is a bacterial quorum-sensing chromophore, also referred to as ‘purple treasure’ for its versatile utility in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic and textile industries. Moreover, it provides broad spectrum biological activity that is the subject of expansive scientific research. The major limitation in the drug delivery of violacein is its hydrophobic nature that results in poor bioavailability. Nanoparticles (NPs) coupled with these drugs tend to enhance their delivery, efficacy and safety profiles. In this study, we established that violacein capped silver NPs (vAgNPs) have shown enhanced stability with 3 to 10 times higher therapeutic effect against multidrug resistant bacteria, fungi and algae compared to starch capped silver NPs (cAgNPs). The surface plasmon resonance, size, shape, crystalline nature and capping agent of these NPs were studied with UV-Vis spectroscopy, Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy, X-ray Diffraction and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, respectively. This comparative study examines the efficacy of vAgNPs against cAgNPs and establishes that surface capping of AgNPs with violacein yields conjugative benefits, i.e., strengthening each other's therapeutic effect, increased bioavailability of violacein, higher stability and maneuvering the therapeutic effect of vAgNPs towards Gram positive bacteria.

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Comparative analysis of stability and biological activities of violacein and starch capped silver nanoparticles†

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Comparative analysis of stability and biological activities of violacein and starch capped silver nanoparticles

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