eco-friendly production of silver nanoparticles from vernonia amygdalina and citropsis articulata: an assessment of antibacterial properties against oral bacteria

Introduction: traditional chewing sticks from vernonia amygdalina and citropsis articulata have been used for oral hygiene in african rural communities. this study pioneers an eco-friendly approach to silver nanoparticle (agnp) synthesis using stem extracts from these medicinal plants, addressing environmental concerns associated with conventional methods. the antibacterial properties of the agnps against oral bacterial strains are assessed, offering a sustainable solution for oral health care. methods: agnps were synthesized using aqueous and ethanolic stem extracts of v. amygdalina and c. articulata. characterization was performed using uv-visible and ftir spectroscopy. phytochemical analysis revealed a diverse profile of bioactive compounds, with ethanolic extracts showing greater diversity. the agnps were tested against 100 bacterial isolates from dental caries patients at the federal medical center, abeokuta. results: molecular identification revealed three prevalent bacterial isolates: bacillus fungorum (strain cuab-akintola01), klebsiella pneumonia (strain cuab-akintola02), and k. pneumonia (strain cuab-akintola03). the extracts from v. amygdalina and c. articulata, as well as the biofabricated agnps, showed significant antibacterial activity against these oral pathogens. notably, agnps from v. amygdalina exhibited higher zones of inhibition, with b. fungorum being the most susceptible. these findings suggest the potential of these eco-friendly agnps as an effective antibacterial agent against oral bacterial infections. conclusion: this study highlights the potent antibacterial efficacy of v. amygdalina and c. articulata stem extracts, as well as the silver nanoparticles biosynthesized from these extracts, against oral bacterial pathogens. while these findings are promising, further investigations are necessary to fully elucidate the therapeutic potential of these eco-friendly agents in the prevention and treatment of dental plaque-associated diseases.