Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Hellenocarum amplifolium Leaf Extract and Evaluation of their Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activities Against Some Uropathogens.

Volume 28 , Issue 1 , June 2026 , Pages 75-95

Authors

Karzan Gharib Karim 1 ; Dana khdr Sabir 2 ; Pshtiwan S. A Bebane 1

1 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Science, Charmo University, Chamchamal 46023, Kurdistan Region, Iraq.

2 Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Science, Charmo University, Chamchamal 46023, Kurdistan Region, Iraq.

DOI logo 10.17656/sujpas.1160

Keywords

Abstract

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections worldwide, affecting millions of individuals each year. Their treatment has become more difficult as a result of the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. Although plant-mediated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have attracted considerable attention as alternative antibacterial drugs, their antibiofilm activity against bacteria isolated from UTI patients remains insufficiently explored. In this study, AgNPs were biosynthesized using the aqueous leaf extract of the local Kurdistan plant Hellenocarum amplifolium, which acted as both a reducing and stabilizing agent, and their antibacterial and antibiofilm activities were assessed against bacteria isolated from UTI patients. Bacterial isolates were initially identified with the VITEK® 2 Compact system and validated by 16S rRNA gene sequencing; these include Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, and Staphylococcus aureus. The biofabricated Hellenocarum amplifolium- silver nanoparticles (Ha-AgNPs) were characterized by UV-Vis, FTIR, SEM, HR-TEM, XRD, and EDS analyses, revealing crystalline, nearly spherical nanoparticles with an average size of approximately 20 nm. Antimicrobial efficacy assessed by MIC and MBC assays demonstrated strong inhibitory effects at 25/50 µg/mL against A. baumannii and 50/75 µg/mL against E. coli, S. haemolyticus, and S. aureus. In addition, Ha-AgNPs exhibited pronounced antibiofilm activity against all tested isolates, with concentration-dependent inhibition reaching up to 97–99%. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of Ha-AgNPs produced from H. amplifolium as potent antibacterial and antibiofilm agents and presents an eco-friendly method of Ha-AgNP synthesis. These findings offer a promising alternative strategy to address antibiotic resistance, although further studies are needed to assess its reliability and applicability in clinical settings.

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  • First online25 June 2026
  • Published at25 June 2026

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