New generation of bactericidal silver nanoparticles against different antibiotic resistant Escherichia coli strains

Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with ecofriendly plant extracts contains different phytochemicals act as both reducing and capping agents forming stable and shape-controlled AgNPs. The present study deals with the synthesis of AgNPs using the aqueous leaf extract of Coleus aromaticus and to evaluate the bactericidal activity against three antibiotic resistant Escherichia coli strains. The AgNPs are characterized using UV–Visible Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscope coupled with X-ray Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, and Atomic force microscope. The synthesized AgNPs were crystalline in nature, spherical in shape with an average of 48 ± 5 nm in size, and the stability of AgNPs is due to its high negative Zeta potential −65.7 mV. The AgNPs have outstanding bactericidal activity against three antibiotic resistant E. coli strains. This is the first report of antibacterial activity against antibiotic resistant strains using AgNPs by green route.