Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using glucan from mushroom and study of antibacterial activity

This work demonstrates synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using glucan isolated from a mushroom Pleurotus florida blue variant. UV-vis spectroscopy showed maximum absorbance at 425 nm due to surface plasmon resonance of AgNPs. Average diameter of the synthesized AgNPs was 2.445 ± 1.08 nm as revealed from TEM analysis. XRD analysis confirmed the face-centered cubic (fcc) crystalline structure of metallic silver. The synthesized AgNPs-glucan conjugates exhibited antibacterial activity against multiple antibiotic resistant (MAR) bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae YSI6A and the activity was possibly due to damage of cellular macromolecules by the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which was supported by observed degradation of bacterial DNA. Decrease of bactericidal effect of AgNPs-glucan conjugates in dose-dependent manner in presence of a ROS scavenger histidine further ascertained the involvement of ROS in antibacterial activity. AgNPs-glucan conjugates at LD50 dose caused least damage (0.68% hemolysis) to human RBCs. This particular dose of AgNPs-glucan conjugates in combination with each of the four antibiotics (ampicillin, azithromycin, cefepime and tetracycline) to which K. pneumoniae YSI6A was resistant, showed synergistic effect to inhibit almost 100% bacterial growth. It thus opens an avenue to use antibiotics in combination with minimum dosages of AgNPs-glucan conjugates to control MAR bacteria.