The Antimicrobial and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesised from Aqueous Extract.

, commonly known as pig's ear, is an important medicinal plant of South Africa. It is used in traditional medicine to treat many ailments, including skin eruptions, abscesses, inflammation, boils and acne. Many plants have been used to synthesize metallic nanoparticles, particularly silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). However, the synthesis of AgNPs from has never been reported before. The aim of this study was to synthesize AgNPs using and evaluate their antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties. AgNPs were synthesized and characterized using Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM). The antimicrobial activities of the nanoparticles against skin pathogens (, , Methicillin Resistance , and ) as well as their effects on cytokine production in macrophages (differentiated from THP-1 cells) were evaluated. The AgNPs from exhibited antimicrobial activity, with the highest activity observed against (5 µg/mL). The AgNPs also showed anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-1 beta) in lipopolysaccharide-treated macrophages. This concludes that the AgNPs produced from possess antimicrobial and anti-inflammation properties.