ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF <i>PIPER BETLE</i> L. LEAF EXTRACT-REDUCED SILVER NANOPARTICLES

Spherical silver nanoparticles were produced utilizing Piper betle L. extract as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent. The concentration of AgNO₃ and the pH were tuned for consistent particle production. The silver nanoparticles were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Antibacterial activity was evaluated against Citrobacter freundii (NCTC 43864) and Helicobacter pylori, and antifungal activity was evaluated against three fungal strains: Aspergillus fumigatus ATCC 204304, Aspergillus brasiliensis, and Candida albicans ATCC 10231. Ampicillin and amoxicillin served as positive controls, while distilled water (H₂O) functioned as the negative control. The produced silver nanoparticles had an average diameter of 20 ± 1.8 nm. At a concentration of 100 µg/mL, they exhibited superior antibacterial and antifungal efficacy compared to conventional antibiotics or Piper betle L. extract alone. The results indicate that green-synthesized silver nanoparticles have potential as a sustainable and biocompatible alternative for combating bacterial and fungal diseases.