Acaricidal activity of synthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles using Calotropis gigantea against Rhipicephalus microplus and Haemaphysalis bispinosa.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the acaricidal activity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) synthesized from flower aqueous extract of Calotropis gigantea(C. gigantea) against the larvae of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus [R. (B.) microplus] and the adult of Haemaphysalis bispinosa (H. bispinosa). METHODS: The lyophilized C. gigantea flower aqueous extract of 50 mg was added with 100 mL of TiO(OH)2 (10 mM) and magnetically stirred for 6 h. Synthesized TiO2 NPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The synthesised TiO2 NPs were tested against the larvae of R. (B.) microplus and adult of H. bispinosa were exposed to filter paper impregnated method. RESULTS: XRD confirmed the crystalline nature of the nanoparticles with the mean size of 10.52 nm. The functional groups for synthesized TiO2 NPs were 1 405.19, and 1 053.45 cm(-1) for -NH2 bending, primary amines and amides and 1 053.84 and 1 078.45 cm(-1) for C-O. SEM micrographs of the synthesized TiO2 NPs showed the aggregated and spherical in shape. The maximum efficacy was observed in the aqueous flower extract of C. gigantea and synthesized TiO2 NPs against R. (B.) microplus (LC50=24.63 and 5.43 mg/L and r(2)=0.960 and 0.988) and against H. bispinosa (LC50= 35.22 and 9.15 mg/L and r(2) = 0.969 and 0.969), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The synthesized TiO2 NPs were highly stable and had significant acaricidal activity against the larvae of R. (B.) microplus and adult of H. bispinosa. This study provides the first report of synthesized TiO2 NPs and possessed excellent anti-parasitic activity.

Biological approach to synthesize TiO2 nanoparticles using Aeromonas hydrophila and its antibacterial activity.

Nanosized materials have been an important subject in basic and applied sciences. A novel, low-cost, green and reproducible bacteria, Aeromonas hydrophila mediated biosynthesis of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) was reported. The resulting nanoparticles were characterized by FTIR, XRD, AFM and FESEM with EDX. FTIR showed characteristic bands (1643 and 3430 cm(-1)) finds the role of carboxyl group OH stretching amine NH stretch in the formation of TiO2 NPs. The XRD spectrum confirmed that the synthesized TiO2 NPs were in the form of nanocrystals, as evidenced by the peaks at 2θ values of 27.47°, 31.77°, 36.11°, 41.25°, 54.39°, 56.64° and 69.54° were identified as 110, 100, 101, 111, 211, 220 and 301 reflections, respectively. The crystallite sizes were calculated using Scherrer's formula applied to the major intense peaks and found to be the size of 40.50 nm. The morphological characterization was analyzed by FESEM and the analysis showed the NPs smooth shaped, spherical and uneven. GC-MS analysis showed the main compounds found in A. hydrophila were uric acid (2.95%), glycyl-L-glutamic acid (6.90%), glycyl-L-proline (74.41%) and L-Leucyl-D-leucine (15.74%). The potential glycyl-L-proline could have played an important role as a capping agent. A possible mechanism for the biosynthesis of TiO2 NPs has been proposed. The antibacterial activity of the synthesized TiO2 NPs was assessed by well diffusion method toward A. hydrophila, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes and Enterococcus faecalis and showed effective inhibitory activity against S. aureus (33 mm) and S. pyogenes (31 mm).

Larvicidal activity of green synthesized silver nanoparticles using bark aqueous extract of Ficus racemosa against Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex gelidus.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the larvicidal activity of synthesized silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) utilizing aqueous bark extract of Ficus racemosa (F. racemosa) was tested against fourth instar larvae of filariasis vector, Culex quinquefasciatus (Cx. quinquefasciatus) and japanese encephalitis vectors, Culex gelidus (Cx. gelidus). METHODS: The synthesized Ag NPs was characterized by UV-vis spectrum, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). The larvicidal activities were assessed for 24 h against the larvae of Cx. quinquefasciatus and Cx. gelidus with varying concentrations of aqueous bark extract of F. racemosa and synthesized Ag NPs. LC(50) and r(2) values were calculated. RESULTS: The maximum efficacy was observed in crude aqueous extract of F. racemosa against the larvae of Cx. quinquefasciatus and Cx. gelidus (LC(50)=67.72 and 63.70 mg/L; r(2)=0.995 and 0.985) and the synthesized Ag NPs (LC(50)=12.00 and 11.21 mg/L; r(2)=0.997 and 0.990), respectively. Synthesized Ag NPs showed the XRD peaks at 2 θ values of 27.61, 29.60, 35.48, 43.48 and 79.68 were identified as (210), (121), (220), (200) and (311) reflections, respectively. The FTIR spectra of Ag NPs exhibited prominent peaks at 3,425, 2,878, 1,627 and 1,382 in the region 500-3,000 cm(-1). The peaks correspond to the presence of a stretching vibration of (NH) C=O group. SEM analysis showed shape in cylindrical, uniform and rod with the average size of 250.60 nm. CONCLUSIONS: The biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using bark aqueous extract of F. racemosa and its larvicidal activity against the larvae of disease spreading vectors. The maximum larvicidal efficacy was observed in the synthesized Ag NPs.

Novel and simple approach using synthesized nickel nanoparticles to control blood-sucking parasites.

The present study was on assessment of the anti-parasitic activities of nickel nanoparticles (Ni NPs) against the larvae of cattle ticks Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus and Hyalomma anatolicum (a.) anatolicum (Acari: Ixodidae), fourth instar larvae of Anopheles subpictus, Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex gelidus (Diptera: Culicidae). The metallic Ni NPs were synthesized by polyol process from Ni-hydrazine as precursor and Tween 80 as both the medium and the stabilizing reagent. The synthesized Ni NPs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis which indicated the presence of Ni NPs. Synthesized Ni NPs showed the X-ray diffraction (XRD) peaks at 42.76°, 53.40°, and 76.44°, identified as 111, 220, and 200 reflections, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the synthesized Ni NPs clearly showed that the Ni NPs were spherical in shape with an average size of 150 nm. The Ni NPs showed maximum activity against the larvae of R. (B.) microplus, H. a. anatolicum, A. subpictus, C. quinquefasciatus and C. gelidus with LC(50) values of 10.17, 10.81, 4.93, 5.56 and 4.94 mg/L; r(2) values of 0.990, 0.993, 0.992, 0.950 and 0.988 and the efficacy of Ni-hydrazine complexes showed the LC(50) values of 20.35, 22.72, 8.29, 9.69 and 7.83 mg/L; r(2) values of 0.988, 0.986, 0.989, 0.944 and 0.978, respectively. The findings revealed that synthesized Ni NPs possess excellent larvicidal parasitic activity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on larvicidal activity of blood feeding parasites using synthesized Ni NPs.

Evaluation of stem aqueous extract and synthesized silver nanoparticles using Cissus quadrangularis against Hippobosca maculata and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus.

The present study was to determine the efficacies of anti-parasitic activities of synthesized silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) using stem aqueous extract of Cissus quadrangularis against the adult of hematophagous fly, Hippobosca maculata (Diptera: Hippoboscidae), and the larvae of cattle tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae). Contact toxicity method was followed to determine the potential of parasitic activity. Twelve milliliters of stem aqueous extract of C. quadrangularis was treated with 88 ml of 1mM silver nitrate (AgNO(3)) solution at room temperature for 30 min and the resulting solution was yellow-brown color indicating the formation extracellular synthesis of Ag NPs. The synthesized Ag NPs were characterized with UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. The synthesized Ag NPs were recorded by UV-visible spectrum at 420 nm and XRD patterns showed the nanoparticles crystalline in nature. FTIR analysis confirmed that the bioreduction of Ag((+)) ions to Ag NPs were due to the reduction by capping material of plant extract. FESEM image of Ag NPs showed spherical and oval in shape. By using the Bragg's Law and Scherrer's constant, the average mean size of synthesized Ag NPs was 42.46 nm. The spot EDX analysis showed the complete chemical composition of the synthesized Ag NPs. The mortality obtained by the synthesized Ag NPs from the C. quadrangularis was more effective than the aqueous extract of C. quadrangularis and AgNO(3) solution (1 mM). The adulticidal activity was observed in the aqueous extract, AgNO(3) solution and synthesized Ag NPs against the adult of H. maculata with LC(50) values of 37.08, 40.35 and 6.30 mg/L; LC(90) values of 175.46, 192.17 and 18.14 mg/L and r(2) values of 0.970, 0.992 and 0.969, respectively. The maximum efficacy showed in the aqueous extract, AgNO(3) solution and synthesized Ag NPs against the larvae of R. (B.) microplus with LC(50) values of 50.00, 21.72 and 7.61 mg/L; LC(90) values of 205.12, 82.99 and 22.68 mg/L and r(2) values of 0.968, 0.945 and 0.994, respectively. The present study is the first report on antiparasitic activity of the experimental plant extract and synthesized Ag NPs. This is an ideal eco-friendly and inexpensive approach for the control of H. maculata and R. (B.) microplus.