Guava comes packed with many health benefits and now its roots are said to be beneficial in fighting diabetes.

A research scholar of the Department of Chemistry of Naini-based Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS) has succeeded in carrying out green synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles, prepared from roots extract of Guavas (Psidium Guajava) that have proved effective as anti-diabetic agents and have also effectively fought off bacterial infection.

According to the research scholar, Amrita Raj, “Green synthesis is an emerging area in various fields and provides economic and environmental benefits as an alternative to chemical and physical methods. In this method, non-toxic safe reagents which are eco-friendly and safe, are used. This eco-friendly technique incorporates the use of biological agents, plants or microbial agents as reducing and capping agents. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized by green chemistry offer a novel and potential alternative to chemically synthesized Nanoparticles.”

Raj, who is pursuing her research under associate Professor Reena Lawrence, has recently presented her work at an international conference on “Global Approaches in Natural Resource Management for climate-smart Agriculture (GNRSA)-2021” and bagged the “Young Scientist Associate Award” along with “Best oral presentation award”.

She further explains, “The green synthesized of AgNPs has shown best anti-diabetic results with effective inhibition against carbohydrate digestive enzymes. It can be advantageous for heart health, benefit the digestive system, aid weight loss besides being used for anticancer effect, and boost immunity. ”

Diabetes Mellitus has emerged as an epidemic that has affected millions of people worldwide, including India in the last few decades.

The rapidly developing field of various nanomaterials and nanodevices using AgNPs has increased the possibility for early diagnosis and effective treatment, said Prof. Reena Lawrence.

“Nanotechnology is a discipline that is concerned with material characteristics at the nanoscale and offers novel techniques for disease detection, management and prevention. It is used as medicine and even has applications in the drug industry and nanomedicine drug delivery,” she explained.