BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF RHODIUM NANOPARTICLES USING Senecio rowleyanus (String-of-pearls) EXTRACTS

The green synthesis of metal nanoparticles using plant extracts has attracted considerable attention due to its eco-friendly, economical, and biocompatible nature. In the present study, rhodium nanoparticles (RhNPs) were synthesized using the aqueous extract of Senecio rowleyanus as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent. The biosynthesized RhNPs were characterized using various analytical techniques including UV–Visible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The characterization studies confirmed the successful formation of stable, crystalline, and predominantly spherical rhodium nanoparticles with nanoscale dimensions.
The biological activities of the synthesized RhNPs were investigated through antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic assays. The nanoparticles exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against selected Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains as well as fungal pathogens. Antioxidant studies demonstrated effective free radical scavenging potential due to the presence of phytochemicals adsorbed on the nanoparticle surface. Furthermore, the synthesized RhNPs showed appreciable anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting inflammatory mediators and displayed concentration-dependent cytotoxic effects against selected cancer cell lines. The enhanced biological properties may be attributed to the synergistic interaction between the bioactive compounds present in Senecio rowleyanus extract and rhodium nanoparticles