Homeopathic Medicine: An Intrinsic Nanomaterial for Synthesis of AgNPs for Environmental and Biomedical Applications

Abstract

This study aims to furnish scientific evidence that the effectiveness of homeopathic medicine is attributable to the existence of active components in the nanoform. To serve this purpose, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using the homeopathic medicine Ocimum sanctum (O. sanctum) of potency (3X) as a stabilizing and reducing agent. The successful synthesis of AgNPs utilizing O. sanctum validates the existence of bioactive compounds in homeopathic preparations, as silver ions (Ag+) would not be reduced without active components. O. sanctum active phytoconstituents were essential in stabilizing the AgNPs and converting Ag+to Ag0, which allowed for a controlled size and shape. The successful synthesis of AgNPs was further validated by characterization using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The synthesized AgNPs demonstrated remarkable catalytic effectiveness under ideal conditions, following a pseudo-first-order kinetic model (PFO), degrading Rhodamine B (RhB) by 99% in 30 s. Furthermore, the nanoparticles showed strong antibacterial activity; greater inhibition zones for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) were seen, suggesting that they were more effective against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. This work not only demonstrates the potential of bioactive molecules in homeopathic medicine but also confirms their existence in the homeopathic medicine seven at ultradilution.