Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are now widely used as antibacterial and antifungal materials in different consumer products. We report here the preparation of Ag NPs by neem leaves extract (Azadirachta) reduction and trisodium citrate–sodium borohydride reduction methods, and study of their phytotoxicity. The nanoparticles were characterized by UV–Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. Both neem-coated and citrate-coated Ag NPs exhibit surface plasmon around 400 nm, and their average sizes measured by AFM are about 100 and 20 nm, respectively. Antibacterial and antifungal activities of these nanomaterials have been studied by simple pea seed germination and disk diffusion methods. It has been observed from the growth of root and shoot, citrate-coated Ag NPs significantly affect seedling growth, but neem-coated Ag NPs exhibit somehow mild toxicity toward germination process due to the nutrient supplements from neem. On the other hand, antifungal activity of neem-coated Ag NPs has been found much higher than that of citrate-coated Ag NPs due to the combined effects of antifungal activity of neem and Ag NPs. Present research primarily indicates a possible application of neem-coated Ag NPs as a potential fungicide.

Three new organotin(IV) complexes, [Me₃Sn(H₂L)]₂ (1), Bu₃Sn(H₂L) (2), and [(Bu₂Sn(H₂L))₂O]₂ (3) were synthesized by the reaction of 2-[4-hydroxy-3-((2-hydroxyethylimino)methyl)phenylazo]benzoic acid (H₃L) with appropriate alkyltin(IV) precursors. The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, and multinuclear (¹H, ¹³C and ¹¹⁹Sn) NMR spectroscopy. Further, the complex 1 was analyzed by single-crystal X-ray analysis. It displays a 24-membered cyclic dimeric Me₃Sn^IV(H₂L) unit where the ligand act as a bridging framework using its carboxylate-O and phenoxy-O atoms. The Sn(IV) adopts distorted trigonal-bipyramidal geometry. In the solution state, the structures were determined by ¹¹⁹Sn-NMR spectroscopy, and the complexes 1 and 2 have distorted tetrahedral geometry, whereas complex 3 shows distorted trigonal-bipyramidal geometry around the tin centres. The Hirshfeld surface analysis and DFT calculations, together with a topological analysis of the electron density distribution in the crystal structure of complex 1, indicate that its molecular packing determined by various noncovalent interactions, including stacking and hydrogen bonding. The antibacterial studies of the ligand and the complexes (1–3) against gram-negative bacteria viz. Klebsiella pneumoniae (A),Vibrio cholerae (M) and Shigella boydii (Q) and gram-positive bacteria viz.Staphylococcus aureus (J), Streptococcus pneumonia (K) are promising and the compounds can be treated as potential common antibacterial materials.

Fruits that are rich in nutrients and have antioxidant properties are essentially required for human health. These fruits are quite demanding to use pharmaceutically to produce natural drugs. Tripura, a Northeast state of India, is abundant in wild edible fruits, the nutritional values of which have not yet been fully explored. The nutrient composition and antioxidant properties of 06 (six) wild edible fruits viz. Wild orange (Citrus macroptera), Chinese lard (Hodgsonia macrocarpa Cogn.), Madhabilata (Stixis suaveolens Roxb. Pierre), Wild small black Jamun (Syzygium assamicum), Indian coffee plum (Flacourtia jangomas Lour. Raeusch), and Gamboge (Garcinia gummi-gutta (L.) Robs) were explored and are reported in this paper. All the observations were statistically analyzed and properly presented here. The study reveals that wild orange (220.75 mg/100 g) and Indian coffee plum (223.25 mg/100 g) are vitamin C-rich fruits. Madhabilata has high protein content (0.744%), whereas Gamboge yields an energetic fruit (124.92 Kcal/100 g). The energy parameter has a good correlation with ash (correlation coefficient (r) = 0.68), TSS (r = 0.62), and protein (r = 0.83). Nutrient minerals (mg/100 g), in general, are found quite high in wild orange (Na, 170.4; K, 55.40; Mg, 61.53; Zn, 6.85; Cu, 6.25). There is a good correlation between Na and K (r = 0.58). Antioxidant activity (81.15 μmol/g) and metal chelating capacity (MCC) (39.45 mg/mL) are high in wild orange, and they have an excellent correlation (r = 0.97). It has quite a high value of total phenolic content (TPC) (303.89 mg GAE/g) and total flavonoid content (TFC) (36.78 mg QE/g) as well. TPC and TFC have good correlations with antioxidant parameters (r = 0.81 with TPC and 0.86 with TFC). Chloride (4.35 mg/100 g), nitrate (0.639 μg/100 g), and As(III) (0.27 mg/100 g) contents are found high in Indian coffee plum, Madhabilata, and Wild black Jamun, respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that total sugar, zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu) are the important indicators to be given emphasis while studying the nutritional value of these minor fruits. Moreover, the results would provide a baseline database for the nutrient profile of these fruits as well as enhance awareness among the masses regarding the value of the fruit, which enhances and conserves the biodiversity of the forest area of Tripura.