Effects of Silver Nanoparticles and Silver Nitrate on Antioxidant Responses in Echium amoenum

Abstract

Nanoparticles have entered agriculture and biology fields because of their special effects and unique features. One of the most important properties of silver compounds is its disinfecting. The Echium amoenum plants were grown with diurnal regime of 16 h light and 8 h dark at 22–29°C and 150 μmol/(m² s) light gravity. Plants were treated for 20 days in 7 groups including I—control, II—silver nitrate (25 ppm), III—silver nanoparticles (25 ppm), IV—silver nanoparticles plus silver nitrate (25 ppm), V—silver nitrate (50 ppm), VI—silver nanoparticles (50 ppm) and VII—silver nanoparticles plus silver nitrate (50 ppm). Results showed that anthocyanins content in groups II, III, V, VI and VII were significantly increased. Total flavonoid content was significantly increased under all treatments compared with untreated plants. Increased total phenol content was observed upon plant exposure to II, IV, V, VI and VII. Regarding the lipid peroxidation, the plants in II and VII groups showed a remarkable increase of malondialdehyde. Also result showed that DPPH free radical scavenging activity was significantly increased in IV, V, VI and VII groups. These findings correlate with the nanoparticles (NPs) causing increased production of reactive oxygen species.