Eco-friendly green synthesis of Ag@Fe bimetallic nanoparticles using Chrysanthemum flower extract: characterization and biomedical potential through antioxidant, antidiabetic and molecular docking studies.

This work aimed to synthesise Ag@Fe bimetallic nanoparticles using Chrysanthemum flower extract in an eco-friendly manner and evaluate their structural properties and biological potential. The synthesized nanoparticles were comprehensively characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), elemental mapping, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed on the major phytoconstituents of the flower extract to elucidate their electron-donating capability and role in nanoparticle formation under aqueous conditions. Antioxidant and antidiabetic assays were used to assess the biological activity of the produced nanoparticles, and molecular docking studies were used to further investigate their interactions with pertinent therapeutic targets. The UV-Vis spectrum exhibited characteristic absorption bands at 270 and 350 nm, corresponding to Fe and Ag nanostructures, respectively, confirming the successful formation of AgFe nanoparticles. DLS analysis revealed a Z-average hydrodynamic diameter of 440.6 nm, while a zeta potential of -7.7 mV indicated moderate colloidal stability of AgFe nanoparticles. The biosynthesized nanoparticles demonstrated notable antidiabetic activity, with EC50 values of 33.43 ± 0.32 µg mL-1 for α-amylase inhibition and 35.58 ± 0.61 µg mL-1 for α-glucosidase inhibition. Molecular docking studies further supported these findings by revealing favourable protein-ligand interactions and strong binding affinities. In addition, the nanoparticles exhibited significant antioxidant activity, with EC50 values of 31.43 ± 0.25 µg mL-1 and 34.33 ± 0.43 µg mL-1 in DPPH and H2O2 scavenging assays, respectively. Collectively, these results demonstrate the successful green synthesis of multifunctional CFE-AgFe NPs with promising antioxidant and antidiabetic properties. Nevertheless, further in vivo investigations are required to validate their therapeutic potential and biological safety.