Phytochemical Screening and Antioxidant Potential of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. Extract and Silver Nanoparticles Against Aspergillus spp.

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Medicinal plants continue to be a source of antifungal agents, and the green synthesis of nanoparticles has enhanced the bioactive potential of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. In the present study, ultrasonic-assisted chloroform- and ethanol-extracted leaves & roots were prepared, whereas aqueous extracts were used for green synthesis of Ag NPs. Phytochemical evaluation of the extract showed the availability of terpenoids, phenols, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and resins. Formation of Ag NPs was confirmed by a UV–Vis plasmon resonance peak at 400–438 nm, FT-IR functional groups (O–H, C=O, and C–N), spherical morphology from FE-SEM, EDX signal of silver atoms, and fcc planes in XRD at (111), (200), and (220). In the field, in the case of Ross-308 poultry, Aspergillus fumigatus (74%) was dominant, followed by A. niger (16%), A. flavus (6%), and A. terreus (4%), which were confirmed by ITS1/ITS4 sequencing. In the DPPH assay (0.625–5 mg/mL), crude extracts exhibited concentration-dependent antioxidant activity, with significant differences (P≤ 0.05) compared to ascorbic acid at different concentrations. Root and leaf Ag NPs showed significantly lower scavenging activities than those of ascorbic acid, with higher IC50 values. MIC of antifungal ranged from 1.56–3.125 mg/mL from extracts, while it was between 1.56–50 mg/mL for Ag NPs, and species-wise susceptibility patterns were observed. Thus, these results indicated that the Glycyrrhiza glabra L. plant extracts and their Ag NPs interact to have antioxidant and antifungal activities, revealing the possibility of using them as environmentally friendly antimicrobial agents.