Typha capensis—An electron rich resource for the synthesis of phytochemical-encapsulated gold nanoparticles through green nanotechnology

Abstract

Typha capensis (T. capensis), commonly known as bulrush, is a medicinal plant found growing in the wetland areas of South Africa. In traditional medicine, rhizome decoctions of T. capensis are used to treat a wide variety of ailments, including venereal disease, dysentery, diarrhoea and low libido in men. Previously, T. capensis rhizomes were shown to be a rich source of antioxidants, such as catechin and epicatechin, inhibiting both reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species. The antioxidant capacity of such plant species serves as a reservoir of electrons to transport them into gold salt for the production of gold nanoparticles through green nanotechnology. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the application of T. capensis in green nanotechnology and nano-medicine.