Biological Properties of Silver Nanoparticles from β (1-3) Glucan Isolated from the Edible Mushroom Pleurotus florida

Pleurotus florida of the genus Pleurotus is a delicious edible mushroom with high therapeutic potential. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are gaining a lot of importance nowadays because of their wide industrial and biomedical applications. Capping of AgNPs with polysaccharides, the most potent mushroom derived metabolites, is promising towards natural drug development for free radical-induced ailments. In the present investigation, silver nanoparticles were synthesized using β-glucan isolated from P. florida, and their antioxidant properties were studied. Polysaccharide (PS) isolation was carried out by hot water extraction, alcohol precipitation, deproteinization, and dialysis. Preliminary characterization of PS by Anthrone, Lowry’s method, Paper Chromatography, and FT-IR showed that PS is protein-bound β-(1-3) - Glucan. Synthesis of Silver nanoparticle from PS (PS-AgNPs) was confirmed by UV spectroscopy. Antioxidant properties of PS and PS-AgNPs were evaluated by Total antioxidant capacity assay, DPPH assay, Total reducing power, and Hydroxyl radical scavenging assay. Both PS and PS-AgNPs showed profound antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner, and PS-AgNPs was more active than PS. The highest activity was shown in Hydroxyl radical scavenging assay in which PS and PS-AgNPs showed 81.8% and 89.4% activity, respectively, at the highest tested dose. The present study revealed the possible use of P. florida in antioxidant drug development.