Eco-Friendly Synthesis and Biomedical Profiling of Ampicillin-Loaded Silver Nanoparticles from Artemisia maritima

Abstract

This study presents the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using aqueous extracts of Artemisia maritima and their subsequent functionalization with ampicillin. UV-Vis spectroscopy confirmed nanoparticle formation with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peaks at 401 nm for non-functionalized AgNPs and 457 nm for ampicillin-functionalized AgNPs (AMP-AgNPs). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed characteristic peaks at 2θ values of 27°, 32°, 38°, 44°, and 64°, indicating the crystalline nature of the nanoparticles. FTIR analysis identified key functional groups such as hydroxyl (3262.54 cm⁻¹), aromatic alkene (1507 cm⁻¹), and amine (1023.07 cm⁻¹), confirming phytochemical involvement in nanoparticle synthesis and stabilization. Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, and steroids. Antibacterial activity was evaluated against five clinical pathogens. At 10 μg/mL, AMP-AgNPs exhibited maximum inhibition zones of 34 mm for Escherichia coli, 32 mm for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and 31 mm for Klebsiella pneumoniae, outperforming non-functionalized AgNPs, which showed inhibition zones ranging from 20–30 mm. The anticoagulant assay demonstrated that AgNPs completely inhibited blood clotting in treated samples. However, hemocompatibility tests revealed cytotoxic effects, including a reduction in hemoglobin (from 16.4 g/dL to 11.1 g/dL) and RBC counts (from 5.18 to 1.73 million/μL), with increases in platelet count (from 147 ×10³/μL to 1882 ×10³/μL) and WBC count (from 5.5 to 14.2 ×10³/μL). These findings suggest that A. maritima-derived AgNPs possess strong antimicrobial and anticoagulant potential, but their cytotoxic impact on blood parameters highlights the need for further in vivo studies and surface modification strategies to ensure safety in biomedical applications.