The use of cellulosic polymers as efficient reducing, coating agents, and stabilizers in the formulation
of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with antioxidant and antibacterial activity was investigated. AgNPs
were synthesized using different cellulosic polymers, polyethylene glycol, and without polymers
using tri-sodium citrate, for comparison. The yield, morphology, size, charge, in vitro release of
silver ion, and physical stability of the resulting AgNPs were evaluated. Their antioxidant activity
was measured as a scavenging percentage compared with ascorbic acid, while their antibacterial
activity was evaluated against different strains of bacteria. The amount of AgNPs inside bacterial
cells was quantified using an ICP-OES spectrometer, and morphological examination of the bacteria
was performed after AgNPs internalization. Cellulosic polymers generated physically stable AgNPs
without any aggregation, which remained physically stable for 3 months at 25.0 ± 0.5 and 4.0 ± 0.5 °C.
AgNPs formulated using ethylcellulose (EC) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) had
significant (p ≤ 0.05; ANOVA/Tukey) antibacterial activities and lower values of MIC compared to
methylcellulose (MC), PEG, and AgNPs without a polymeric stabilizer. Significantly (p ≤ 0.05; ANOVA/
Tukey) more AgNPs-EC and AgNPs-HPMC were internalized in Escherichia coli cells compared to other
formulations. Thus, cellulosic polymers show promise as polymers for the formulation of AgNPs with
antioxidant and antibacterial activities.