Giovanni BenelliInsect Behavior Group,Departmentof Agriculture,Food and Environment,University of Pisa,via del Borghetto 80,Pisa 6124,Italy

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Plant-m ediated synthesis of nanopartic les:A newer and safer tool against m osquito-borne d iseases?

Giovanni Benelli*
Insect Behavior Group,Departmentof Agriculture,Food and Environment,University of Pisa,via del Borghetto 80,Pisa 6124,Italy

Editorial http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apjtb.2015.10.015

ARTICLE INFO

Article history:

Accepted 28 Oct 2015

Available online 12 Jan 2016 Keywords:

Arbovirus

Dengue

Yellow fever

Malaria

Mosquito vectors

Nanobiotechnology

ABSTRACT

Prevention and control of mosquito-borne diseases is a key challenge of huge public health importance.Plant-mediated synthesisof nanoparticles has recently gained attention as a cheap,rapid and eco-friendly method to controlmosquito vector populations,w ith special reference to young instars.Furthermore,plant-fabricated nanoparticles have been successfully employed asdengue virusgrow th inhibitors.In this Editorial,parasitologists, entomologists and researchers in drug nanosynthesis are encouraged to deal w ith a number of crucial challenges of public health importance.

1.Prevention and control ofm osquito-borne diseases:A key issue

Mosquitoes cause more human sufferings than any other organisms,and over one m illion people worldw ide die from mosquito-borne diseases every year[1].Current control strategies mainly rely on synthetic pesticides,insect grow th regulators and m icrobial control agents.However,synthetic chem icals lead to a number of negative implications, including high operational costs,development of resistance and toxic effects on non-target organisms and human health [2].Lim ited tools are currently available against the main pathogens and parasites vectored by mosquitoes.Notably, there is no speci fi c treatment for dengue(even if the development of a vaccine is in progress),and its prevention and control solely depends on effective vector control measures.Furthermore,malaria control is being challenging due to the arising number of Plasmodium strains resistant to chloroquine and other antimalarial drugs[3].

2.Nanoparticles in the fi ght againstmosquito vectors

To deal w ith the abovementioned issues,in latest years a grow ing numberof plant-borne compounds have been proposed for ef fi cient and rapid extracellular synthesis of nanoparticles. The green biosynthesis of nanoparticles is advantageous over chem ical and physicalmethods,since it is cheap,single-step, and does not require high pressure,energy,temperature,and the use of highly toxic chem icals[4].

Recently,in more than 60 researches,plant-fabricated nanoparticles have been studied for their highly effectivemosquitocidal properties[5].Most studies focused on larvicidal and pupicidalactivity,and extremely low LC50were calculated.The majority of them fall w ithin 1–30 mg/L.Furthermore, nanosynthesis of ovicides,adulticides and oviposition deterrents has also been attempted[5,6].However,little efforts have been done to shed light on the toxicity mechanism(s) leading to larval and pupal death in mosquito larvae and pupae exposed to green-synthesized nanoparticles.It has been hypothesized that the biotoxicity againstmosquito young instars may be related to the ability of nanoparticles to penetrate through theexoskeleton.In the intracellular space,nanoparticles can bind to sulphur from proteins or to phosphorus from DNA, leading to the rapid denaturation of organelles and enzymes. Subsequently,the decrease in membrane permeability and disturbance in proton motive forcemay cause loss of cellular function and cell death[7].

3.Nanoparticles in the fi ght againstmalaria and dengue

It has been recently pointed out thatmalaria control is being challenging due to a grow ing number of Plasmodium strains resistant to chloroquineand/orotherantimalarialdrugs.Plantsare an outstanding reservoir of antiplamodialmolecules.However, also plant-mediated fabrication of nanoparticlesmay play a role in this fi eld.Indeed,Murugan et al.showed that seaweedsynthesized silver nanoparticles were effective against both chloroquine-resistant and chloroquine-sensitive strains of Plasmodium falciparum,w ith IC50values lower than chloroquine(i.e. 76.33μg/m L for chloroquine-sensitive and 79.13μg/m L for chloroquine-resistant)[3].Furthermore,the possibility to employ green-synthesized silver nanoparticles in the fi ght against dengue(serotype DEN-2)has been validated[8].It has been showed that silver nanoparticles act as inhibitors of the production of dengue viral envelope(E)protein in Vero cells, and down-regulated the expression of dengue viral E gene[9]. However,these studies showed a certain level of cytotoxicity of the tested nanoparticles,e.g.about 30%in cell viability reduction when tested at 50μg/mL[9].Interestingly, Centroceras clavulatum-synthesized silver nanoparticles tested at 50μg/m L did not show relevant toxicity against Vero cells, but inhibit DEN-2 viral grow th of more than 80%.This highlights the concrete potentialof Centroceras clavulatum-fabricated silver nanoparticles in the fi ght against arboviral diseases[10].

4.Conclusions

Overall,despite the extensive research on plant-mediated synthesis of nanoparticles formosquito-borne diseases prevention and control,there is a gap between theory and practical applications.In particular,much remains to know about the potential of plant-synthesized nanoparticles as antiviral and antiplasmodial drugs,as well asmosquito ovicides and ovideterrents.Further attention should also be given to the non-target effectsand environmental fateof plant-synthesized nanoparticles in aquatic environments.In this scenario,Asian Paci fi c Journal of Tropical Biomedicine is pleased to encourage parasitologists, entomologists and researchers in drug nanosynthesis,to deal w ith these crucial challenges of public health importance.

Con fl ict of interest statement

Ideclare that Ihave no con fl ict of interest.

Acknow ledgments

The author would like to thank H.M ehlhorn,K.Murugan and M.Nicoletti for helpful discussion on the topic of this editorial.

References

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[8]Sujitha V,Murugan K,PaulpandiM,Panneerselvam C,Suresh U, Roni M,et al.Green synthesized silver nanoparticles as a novel control tool against dengue virus(DEN-2)and its primary vector Aedes aegypti.Parasitol Res 2015;114:3315-25.

[9]M urugan K,Dinesh D,Paulpandi M,A lthbyani AD, Subram aniam J,M adhiyazhagan P,et al.Nanoparticles in the fi ght against mosquito-borne diseases:bioactivity of Bruguiera cylindrica-synthesized nanoparticles against dengue virus DEN-2 (in vitro)and its mosquito vector Aedes aegypti(Diptera:Culicidae).Parasitol Res 2015;114(12):4349-61.

[10]Murugan K,Aruna P,Panneerselvam C,Madhiyazhagan P, Paulpandi M,Subramaniam J,et al.Fighting arboviral diseases: low toxicity on mammalian cells,dengue grow th inhibition (in vitro)and mosquitocidal activity of Centroceras clavulatumsynthesized silver nanoparticles.Parasitol Res 2015;http:// dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00436-015-4783-6.

16 Oct 2015

*Corresponding author:GiovanniBenelli,InsectBehaviorGroup,Departmentof Agriculture,Food and Environm ent,University of Pisa,via del Borghetto 80,Pisa 56124,Italy.

Tel:+39 0502216141

Fax:+39 0502216087

E-mails:g.benelli@sssup.it,benelli.giovanni@gmail.com

Peer review under responsibility of Hainan M edical University.The journal implements double-blind peer review practiced by specially invited international editorial boardmembers.

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