Antibiotic particles derived from goji berries discovered

Goji berries are a superfood known for a multitude of health benefits, including their antibiotic properties. In research published in AIP Advances, researcher Kamran Alam from the Sapienza University of Rome, along with others from NED University of Engineering and Technology and King Saud University, found an effective way to harvest silver nanoparticles from the berries.

Kamran said, “Silver nanoparticles are responsible for disrupting the cell membrane structure, which can generate reactive oxygen species used for inhibiting bacterial growth.”

Silver nanoparticles can be generated using several chemical techniques. However, green solutions using biological sources like fruit or leaf extracts are preferred because they save energy and are nontoxic, nonhazardous, and biologically compatible with humans.