Abstract
Acne vulgaris affects approximately 9.4% of the world population and was ranked 8th most prevalent disease. Concurrently, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely explored for their profound antibacterial properties which are ideal for acne management. With the current search for natural alternatives in both cosmetics and nanotechnology, plant extracts have garnered tremendous attention in the synthesis of AgNPs. Therefore, this study utilized Kenaf leaves extract (KLE) as a novel, natural reducing agent for the synthesis of AgNPs. The effects of different synthesis parameters were studied and KLE-synthesised AgNPs (KLE-AgNPs) were further analysed for their physicochemical properties and antimicrobial efficiency. Results showed that small-sized (60.32±2.41nm), stable (-43.03±2.55 mV) and monodispersed (0.28±0.01) KLE-AgNPs were successfully formed with 3mM silver nitrate, and 3mg/mL KLE along with the optimal conditions at pH 11, 48 hours incubation time, reaction temperature of 37°C, and centrifugation at 10000g for purification. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of functional groups that aid in the formation of AgNPs. Additionally, XRD result demonstrated that KLE-AgNPs recorded crystalline size of 58.59nm. The FESEM and EDX analyses displayed that the particles were spherical and silver was the main element respectively. The antimicrobial analysis proved that a lower dose of KLE-AgNPs demonstrated better antimicrobial effect on the three acne-causing bacteria compared to commercial AgNPs and chemically synthesized-AgNPs. The outcome of this research amplifies the role of KLE as a natural reducing agent in the synthesis of AgNPs for the development of hybrid nanocosmetics with increased efficacy due to the synergistic effect of KLE and AgNPs.