Effectiveness of silver nanoparticles synthesized using Diospyros discolor Willd. (Bisbul) leaf extract for antimicrobial agents

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are a widely developed noble metal nanoparticle that possesses antimicrobial activity. The advantages of AgNPs is their nature and ability to inhibit microbial growth, making them a potential alternative material to overcome the problem of antibiotic resistance. The synthesis of AgNPs can be done through a biosynthesis process using plant extracts as a bio-reductant. The extract preparation can affect the synthesis process, including the reaction rate and AgNP size. In this study, AgNPs were obtained through the biosynthesis process using 3 different extract preparations from Diospyros discolor Willd. (Bisbul) as the reducing agent. The extract was prepared by different extraction methods, including water extract, crude water extract, and methanol-water extract fraction. The formation of AgNPs was confirmed using an ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer. The dispersity and zeta potential from the nanoparticles was confirmed using Particle Size Analyzer (PSA). The results obtained showed that all of the extract preparations can produce AgNPs. Depending on their characteristics, different extract preparations tend to have different reaction speeds, sizes, and distributions of the AgNPs formed. The activities of AgNPs against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were also tested. The result showed that all AgNPs synthesized using the extracts had good antimicrobial activity, but the crude water extract and methanol-water extract had the strongest activity. Based on their spectral features, these two extracts tend to produce small sized particles and monodispersed distribution.