Over the last few years, the green synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) using plant extracts has emerged as a promising methodology for the fabrication of metallic NPs (especially silver, copper, and gold NPs), as it involves an easy, fast, low-cost, and environmentally friendly bioprocess. However, many factors affect the sizes and morphologies of NPs biosynthesized by this method, including the nature of the plant extract, among others. Therefore, the green synthesis of metal NPs with defined stability, size, and morphology distribution remains under evaluation. In the present study, we propose aqueous extracts from the endemic-medicinal plant Budleja globosa (“Matico”) as an efficient bioproduct for the green synthesis of silver NPs (AgNPs). Experimental results indicate that room temperature, low concentrations of leaf extracts of B. globosa, and silver nitrate salt were sufficient to biosynthesize AgNPs with uniform size (16 nm) and shape distribution (spherical). GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Fluorescence spectra of anti-tumoral drug emodin loaded on nanostructured porous silicon have been recorded. The use of colloidal nanoparticles allowed embedding of the drug without previous porous silicon functionalization and leads to the observation of an enhancement of fluorescence of the drug. Mean pore size of porous silicon matrices was 60 nm, while silver nanoparticles mean diameter was 50 nm. Atmospheric and vacuum conditions at room temperature were used to infiltrate emodin-silver nanoparticles complexes into porous silicon matrices. The drug was loaded after adsorption on metal surface, alone, and bound to bovine serum albumin. Methanol and water were used as solvents. Spectra with 1 μm spatial resolution of cross-section of porous silicon layers were recorded to observe the penetration of the drug. A maximum fluorescence enhancement factor of 24 was obtained when protein was loaded bound to albumin, and atmospheric conditions of inclusion were used. A better penetration was obtained using methanol as solvent when comparing with water. Complexes of emodin remain loaded for 30 days after preparation without an apparent degradation of the drug, although a decrease in the enhancement factor is observed. The study reported here constitutes the basis for designing a new drug delivery system with future applications in medicine and pharmacy.