Biogenic synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles by seed plants.

Nanoparticles have an enormous range of biomedical and environmental applications and can be used for development of various nanodevices for diagnostics and drug delivery. Biogenic production of nanoparticles, that is of silver and gold, by seed plants, especially flowering plants, has evoked considerable interest in the last decade. Different organs of plants as well as callus cultures have been used for the production of these metal nanoparticles. It is possible to regulate the geometry of the nanoparticles by modifying the experimental parameters. In many cases the phytosynthesized gold and silver nanoparticles have been demonstrated to be potentially useful for treatment of various diseases. The production of gold and silver nanoparticles by diverse species of seed plants and their biological activity are discussed in this article.