Synergistic role of naringin and pectin in microwave-assisted green synthesis of stable silver nanoparticles with potent antibacterial activity

The objective of this study was to develop a green, microwave-assisted method for synthesizing stable silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with potent antibacterial activity, using naringin and pectin as dual reducing and stabilizing agents. Four AgNP formulations were prepared with different naringin-to-pectin ratios: N-AgNPs (naringin only), P-AgNPs (pectin only), NP-AgNPs1 (3:1 ratio), and NP-AgNPs2 (1:3 ratio). NP-AgNPs1 displayed the largest TEM particle size but the lowest polydispersity index, the highest thermal stability, and the highest Ag + release. Antibacterial assays demonstrated that NP-AgNPs1 exhibited the strongest activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus . Mechanistic studies revealed that NP-AgNPs1 induced significant reactive oxygen species generation, protein leakage, reducing sugar leakage, and lipid peroxidation, indicating that the antibacterial mechanism involves oxidative stress-mediated membrane damage. In summary, the synergistic combination of naringin and pectin at a 3:1 ratio enables the green synthesis of stable, antibacterial AgNPs, offering a promising platform for food packaging and biomedicine.