Hierarchical Mg/Ag2O nanostructures as multifunctional biomedical agents with potent antimicrobial, mosquitocidal, and anticancer efficacy

Abstract Magnesium silver oxide nanostructures were synthesized via a straightforward co-precipitation method and characterized using various analytical techniques. The morphological analysis revealed a 2D/3D sheet hierarchical architecture decorated with ultrafine spherical nanoparticles, providing distinctive characteristics include large specific surface area and high porous network that may facilitate enhanced interaction with microbial cells. The nanohybrid showed remarkable antimicrobial activity against Proteus vulgaris with an inhibition zone diameter of 20 mm as well as moderate antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus with inhibition zone diameters of 14.33 and 11.67 mm, respectively. In contrast, no detectable antibacterial activity was observed against Escherichia coli . The Mg/Ag₂O nanostructure also demonstrated pronounced antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans producing inhibition zones of 10.50 and 12 mm, respectively. Moreover, the nanostructure exhibited remarkable adulticidal efficacy against Culex pipiens at a concentration of 300 ppm. In biomedical field, Mg/Ag₂O nanocomposite revealed strong antioxidant and anticancer activities achieving an IC₅₀ value of 2.80 ± 0.37 µg/mL and a maximum inhibition rate of 99.05%, highlighting its promising potential for diverse biomedical applications.