STUDIES ON MORPHOLOGY AND MEDICINAL EFFICACY OF NANOPARTICLES SYNTHESIZED FROM TWO MEDICINALLY IMPORTANT CURCUMA SPP., C. LONGA AND C.CAESIA

Turmeric, a spice and medicinal plant, is a proven effective nutritional supplement for the human body. The present study made an attempt to compare the morphological and anatomical characterization of two species of Curcuma, to standardize a user eco-friendly protocol for the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) through biological method, and to evaluate the antifungal activity of these species. C longa had curcumin cells while C.caesia had no curcumin cells, and only starch grains. Ag- nanoparticles were synthesized at a much faster rate in C.longa, when compared to that in C.caesia. Antifungal activity was faster and efficient for AgNO3 extract of C.longa, whereas, much slower both in aqueous extracts of C.longa, C.caesia and AgNO3 mixture of C.caesia. The fungal colonies were destroyed soon after the colony was inoculated with AgNO3 mixture ofC.longa, but no visible change in diameter occurred in the fungal colony after the inoculation of other mixtures. Pellets could be made from powdered rhizomes of both species which could be used as a safe supplement and alternative to preventive diseases.