Medicinal Plants Mediated Metal-Based Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications and Environmental Remediation: A Review

Abstract

Nanotechnology has emerged as one of the most popular multidisciplinary topics, with applications in a wide range of fields. Despite the use of numerous nanoparticle synthesis processes such as laser ablation, mechanical milling, spinning, and chemical deposition, the process is unsuitable for continuous production due to the use of dangerous chemicals and the high cost. As a result, the need for a long-term, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible growth strategy has grown in recent years. Green synthesis is gaining huge interest as a dependable, long-lasting, and environment-friendly way to synthesize a variety of nanoparticles, different secondary metabolites including polyphenols, flavonoids, and terpenoids present in plant extract act as reducing agents for the synthesis of nanoparticles. Despite several reports on the biological activities (antimicrobial, antioxidant, cytotoxic, catalytic, etc.), only a handful of studies have compared these activities with their chemically synthesized counterparts. The mechanism for the biosynthesis of metal nanoparticles by Mulberry and Ficus benghalensis extracts and their characterization using analytical techniques. Additionally, applications of these metal nanoparticles like therapeutic uses, industrial catalysts, and environmental remediations are highlighted.