Mimosa pudica gum based nanoparticles development, characterization, and evaluation for their mutagenicity, cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity

Green biosynthesis of nanoparticles has received a wide interest because of their low- cost, eco-friendly, and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities. The present study reported a facile, green and environmental friendlier biosynthesis of zinc and silver nanoparticles from Mimosa pudica (Lajwanti gum). The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by x-ray Diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses. XRD analysis revealed that nanoparticles were crystalline in nature as compared to crude and purified gums, which confirmed the synthesis of nanoparticles and purity of samples. TGA analyzed that weight loss in nanoparticles did not occur rapidly as compared to crude and purified gums. The structural morphology analysis by SEM evidenced a change in morphology after the formation of nanoparticles. FTIR spectroscopy inspected various functional groups involved in the nanoparticles fabrication. The green synthesized nanoparticles presented a marked inhibitory activity against Escherichia coli and Schizophyllum commune. The cytotoxicity and mutagenicity evaluation by hemolytic and Ames test revealed the non-toxic and non-mutagenic nature of the gum samples and gum-based nanoparticles. Taken together, the results demonstrate the green biosynthesis of silver and zinc nanoparticles with antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant bacterial strains.