Synthesis of silver nanoparticles using aqueous extract of Dolichos lablab for reduction of 4-Nitrophenol, antimicrobial and anticancer activities

•Ag NPs were green synthesized by using leaf extract of Dolichos lablab L as reducing and stabilizing agents.•The approach was easier, less costly and environmentally benign.•Dolichos lablab mediated Ag NPs efficiently degraded 4-Nitrophenol into 4-Aminophenol.•Dolichos lablab mediated Ag NPs have shown efficient antimicrobial and cytotoxicity activities. In this paper, we report for the first time an eco-friendly method for the preparation of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) using an aqueous leaf extract of Dolichos lablab as reducing and capping agents using UV–vis, FT-IR, XRD, FE-SEM, EDX and TEM. The crystallinity, phase purity, size and morphology of Ag NPs were investigated by UV–vis, FT-IR and XRD. The spectroscopic and microscopic results revealed the formation of Ag NPs. The morphology of Ag NPs is found to be spherical with an average diameter of 9 nm. As prepared Ag NPs effectively reduced the 4-Nitrophenol to 4-Aminophenol in the presence of NaBH4. The Ag NPs showed potent antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. Ag NPs also exhibited anticancer activity against human liver cancer (Hep G2) cell line. [Display omitted]