Hemoglobin self-assembly and antibacterial activities of bio-modified Ag-MgO nanocomposites by different concentrations of Artemisia haussknechtii and Protoparmeliopsis muralis extracts

Abstract Interaction of metal nanoparticles and metal nanocomposites with blood proteins is important from the perspectives of cytotoxicity and production of novel drug delivery systems. In this study, Ag-MgO nanocomposites were bio-modified by different concentrations of Artemisia haussknechtii medicinal plant and Protoparmeliopsis muralis medicinal lichen extracts. Determination of physicochemical properties of NCs were carried out by UV-Visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) analyses. Antibacterial effects of NCs against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), E. coli ATCC 25922, and P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853 bacteria were measured by disc diffusion and minimum inhibition/bactericidal concentrations (MIC and MBC). Also, in final section, interaction of bio-modified NCs (BNCs) with hemoglobin (Hb) protein was surveyed by SEM, atomic force microscope (AFM), and FT‐IR techniques. BNCs by plant extract (10%w/v) showed highest antibacterial effects on E. coli ATCC 25922 as inhibition zone diameter of (IZD) value of 20±0.89 mm. Aggregation of Hb around BNCs was approved by mentioned analyses. This investigation illustrated contribution of various functional groups including thiol and imidazole groups in self-assembly of Hb surrounding BNCs.