## 4 Discussion
Comparing the EC\({}_{50}\) values (ug/mL), the erythrocyte protection capacity of the analyzed samples decreases as follows: ethanolic extract (53.62 \(\pm\) 1.96), AgNPs-H\({}_{2}\)O(70.83 \(\pm\) 1.10), and AgNPs-EtOH (280.86 \(\pm\) 0.89), the differences being statistically significant (\(p\) < 0.01). Lipoxygenases catalyze the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids to hydroperoxides which will initiate oxidation reactions affecting the structure of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. These oxidation reactions cause inflammatory phenomena, neurodegeneration, and deterioration of pathological conditions such as diabetes [49]. The lipoxygenase inhibition assay shows that the AgNPs obtained using the aqueous extract has a more intense action compared to the plant extract alone, the difference being statistically relevant (\(p\) < 0.001). Both the extracts and the nanoparticles have a lower action compared to gallic acid. The increase in enzyme inhibition capacity observed in the case of AgNPs indicates the complexity of the enzyme-inhibitor interaction and their action directed to the active center of the enzyme, as well as it to its protein structure. The inhibition of lipoxygenase is determined by both flavonoids and polyphenols present in plant extracts, the difference in activity being correlated with the chemical structure of these compounds. Both types of secondary metabolites are chemical constituents present in varying amounts in all plant extracts, which explains the ability of the extracts to block different forms of lipoxygenases [50]. The few previous studies conducted on various types of nanoparticles obtained using _T. erecta_ extracts focus mostly on the characterization of the synthesized nanoparticles [22; 24], with only some approaching the biological perspective of their potential use, especially as antimicrobials [23; 25; 26; 51; 52]. However, such studies were mostly conducted on extracts obtained from leaves and involved other types of nanoparticles as well. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the evaluation of the antioxidant activity of AgNPs obtained using _T. erecta_ flower extracts through the two chosen methods. One other previous study conducted on AgNPs obtained using _T. erecta_ aqueous leaf extract assessed the antioxidant activity through DPPH scavenging assay, showing improved activity for the obtained nanoparticles compared to the initial extract [37]. Since antimicrobial resistance represents one of the most threatening health issues of the 21 st century, the synthesis of effective antimicrobial agents proves to be very important, since many antibiotics have now become ineffective, as microorganisms continue to develop new mechanisms to resist their action [53]. Nanoparticles synthesized with the use of plants that show promising antimicrobial activity have high potential to be developed into future antibacterials and antifungals given their low toxicity [54]. AgNPs are known to be able to penetrate bacterial cell walls, producing changes in the structure of cell membranes and even leading to cell death. Their antibacterial properties are due to their nanoscale size, as well as to their large surface area to volume ratio. They can lead to an increase in cell membrane permeability, produce reactive oxygen species, and, through the release of silver ions, can interrupt the replication of DNA [55]. Furthermore, other factors can influence the antibacterial mechanisms of AgNPs such as the concentration of AgNPs, their shape and size, as well as the type of bacteria, with Gram-negative bacteria being more susceptible to their action compared to Gram-positive bacteria, taking into account the differences in cell wall structure [56]. The obtained values indicate that the biosynthesized AgNPs exhibit greater antifungal activity in comparison to the corresponding extract. The improved antifungal activity can be attributed to the small size of the AgNPs and to the presence of bioactive capping constituents.