Green Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles as Silver Lining in Antimicrobial Resistance: A Review

Unprincipled use of antibiotics has led to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) against mostly available compounds, and has now become a major cause of concern for the scientific community. However, in the past decade, green synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have received greater attention for the development of newer therapies as antimicrobials by virtue of their unique physico- chemical properties. Unlike traditional antibiotics, AgNPs exert their action by acting on multiple mechanisms, which make them potential candidates against AMR. Green synthesis of AgNPs using various medicinal plants has demonstrated a broader spectrum of action against several microbes in a number of attempts. The present paper provides an insight into the scientific studies that have elucidated the positive role of plant extracts/phytochemicals during the green synthesis of AgNPs and their future perspectives. The studies conducted so far seem promising; still, a few factors like the precise mechanism of action of AgNPs, their synergistic interaction with biomolecules, and industrial scalability, need to be explored further till effective drug development using green synthesized AgNPs in healthcare systems against AMR is established.