Green Engineered Biomolecule-Capped Silver Nanoparticles Fabricated from Cichorium intybus Extract: In Vitro Assessment on Apoptosis Properties Toward Human Breast Cancer (MCF-7) Cells

Synthesis of Bimetallic Palladium/Zinc Oxide Nanocomposites Using Crocus sativus and Its Anticancer Activity via the Induction of Apoptosis in Cervical Cancer

Palladium (Pd) and zinc oxide (ZnO) (Pd/ZnO NPs) bimettalic nanocomposites still lag much too far behind other nanoparticles investigated for various biological uses in the area of cancer treatments. Chemically created nanoparticles agglomerate under physiological conditions, impeding their use in biomedical applications. In this study, a straightforward and environmentally friendly method for creating bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) by combining palladium (Pd) and zinc oxide (ZnO) using Crocus sativus extract (CS-Pd/ZnO NCs) was reported; the bio-synthesize bimetallic palladium/zinc oxide nanocomposites and their antioxidant and anti-cancer properties were assessed. The developed Pd/ZnO NPs were characterized using different approaches, including UV-vis, DLS, FTIR, EDX, and SEM analyses. The present investigation shows how nanocomposites are made, their distinctive properties, antioxidant activity, anticancer mechanisms, and their potential therapeutic applications. DPPH and ABTS tests were used to investigate antioxidant activity. Further, the effects of CS-Pd/ZnO NCs on HeLa cells were assessed using the cell viability, ROS generation, MMP levels, and induced apoptosis. Apoptosis induction was measured using an Annexin V-fluorescein isothicyanate assay. Cell DNA was stained with propidium iodide to evaluate the impact upon this cell cycle. Time-dependent cell death was carried on by CS-Pd/ZnO NCs. The maximum inhibitory effect was 59 ± 3.2 when dosages of 4.5 µg/mL or higher were delivered after 24 h of treatment. Additionally, the CS-Pd/ZnO NCs caused HeLa cells to undergo apoptosis. Apoptotic HeLa cells were present in 35.64% of the treated cells at 4.5 µg/mL, and the cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase occurred concurrently. According to these findings, the CS-Pd/ZnO NCs may be a promising candidate for the creation of brand-new cervical cancer treatment.

Fabrication of Nickel/Zinc Oxide Nanocomposites from Citrus sinensis Extract Prompts Apoptosis Through Impeding JAK/STAT3 Signaling in Gastric Cancer

In this study, we sought to fabricate nickel/zinc oxide nanocomposites utilizing Citrus sinensis (C. sinensis) peel extract (CS-Ni/ZnO NCs) and investigate their ability to impede the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway in gastric cancer AGS cells. Different methods, including UV-Vis spectral analysis, FT-IR, XRD, FE-SEM, EDAX, DLS, and zeta potential, were used to characterize the fabricated CS-Ni/ZnO NCs. By measuring ROS, MMP, and apoptotic cell death using the appropriate fluorescence describing procedures, the anticancer potential of CS-Ni/ZnO NCs was examined against AGS cells. The synthesized CS-Ni/ZnO NCs displayed a rod structure with a diameter of 74.76 nm. The cytotoxicity assay showed that the CS-Ni/ZnO NCs diminished the viability of the AGS cells in a dosage-dependent manner. Results from the fluorescence probe assay showed that the CS-Ni/ZnO NCs caused apoptosis in AGS cells. JAK/STAT-3 over expressions thought to expand the transcriptional regulation of proliferation and anti-apoptosis. Hence, inhibition of JAK/STAT-3 expression is considered a crucial target for impeding the expansion of gastric cancer proliferation. The JAK/STAT3 signaling cascade was successfully blocked by CS-Ni/ZnO NCs treatment, which also started the apoptotic pathway in the AGS cells. The findings conclude that CS-Ni/ZnO NCs might serve as a promising chemo-preventive agent for treating GC. Nickel/Zinc oxide nanocomposites were synthesized using C. sinensis peel extract (CS-Ni/ZnO NCs) and characterized by UV-Vis, XRD, FTIR, and TEM to confirm the nanoparticles. CS-Ni/ZnO NCs induce the overproduction of ROS-mediated MMP alteration and apoptosis features in AGS gastric cancer cells. CS-Ni/ZnO NCs inhibited the JAK/STAT3 signaling, thereby suppressing the proliferation and inducing apoptosis in gastric cancer cells.

Cymodocea serrulata-capped silver nanoparticles for battling human lung cancer, breast cancer, hepatic cancer: Optimization by full factorial design and in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation

In recent times, there has been growing interest in nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized through biological means due to their ease of production and their potential applications in the field of biology. This study presents an environmentally friendly method for the biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the leaf extract of Cymodocea serrulata as both a reducing agent and a capping agent. Various physico-chemical and microscopic techniques were employed to comprehensively characterize the biogenically produced AgNPs. The results of these characterization studies confirmed the formation of spherical, stable, and crystalline AgNPs with an average size of 30.5 ± 2.5 nm. Furthermore, the antibacterial assessment revealed the remarkable antibacterial properties of these biogenically synthesized Ag NPs, even at exceedingly low concentrations ranging from 50 to 100 μg/mL. The IC50 values for the biogenically synthesized AgNPs against different human cancer cell lines, such as A549, MDA-MB-231, HepG2, and MCF-7, were determined to be 93.4 ± 4.5, 82.5 ± 3.7, 87.6 ± 4.1, and 57.3 ± 2.5 μg/mL, respectively. Most notably, the biogenically synthesized Ag NPs exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity, as evidenced by their IC50 value of 30.08 ± 1.4 μg/mL, as assessed through the HRBC membrane stabilization method. These in vitro findings strongly suggest that AgNPs fabricated through biogenic processes using Cymodocea serrulata leaf extract hold promise as potential therapeutic candidates for combating bacterial infections, cancer, and inflammatory conditions.

Discovery of potential mTOR inhibitors from Cichorium intybus to find new candidate drugs targeting the pathological protein related to the breast cancer: an integrated computational approach

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women. It is a complex condition with many subtypes based on the hormone receptor. The mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) pathway regulates cell survival, metabolism, growth, and protein synthesis in response to upstream signals in both normal physiological and pathological situations, primarily in cancer. The objective of this study was to screen for a potential target to inhibit the mTOR using a variety of inhibitors derived from Cichorium intybus and to identify the one with the highest binding affinity for the receptor protein. Initially, AutoDock Vina was used to perform structure-based virtual screening, as protein-like interactions are critical in drug development. For the comparative analysis, 110 components of Cichorium intybus were employed and ten FDA-approved anticancer medicines, including everolimus, an mTOR inhibitor. Further, the drug-likeness and ADMET properties were investigated to evaluate the anti-breast cancer activity by applying Lipinski's rule of five to the selected molecules. The promising candidates were then subjected to three replica molecular dynamics simulations run for 100 ns, followed by binding free energy estimation using MM-GBSA. The data were analyzed using root-mean-square deviation (RMSD), root-mean-square fluctuation (RMSF), and protein-ligand interactions to determine the stability of the protein-ligand complex. Based on the results, taraxerone (98) revealed optimum binding affinities with mTOR, followed by stigmasterol (110) and rutin (104), which compared favorably to the control compounds. Subsequently, bioactive compounds derived from Cichorium intybus may serve as lead molecules for developing potent and effective mTOR inhibitors to treat breast cancer.

Green Synthesis of Bioinspired Nanoparticles Mediated from Plant Extracts of Asteraceae Family for Potential Biological Applications

The Asteraceae family is one of the largest families in the plant kingdom with many of them extensively used for significant traditional and medicinal values. Being a rich source of various phytochemicals, they have found numerous applications in various biological fields and have been extensively used for therapeutic purposes. Owing to its potential phytochemicals present and biological activity, these plants have found their way into pharmaceutical industry as well as in various aspects of nanotechnology such as green synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles. The nanoparticles developed from the plants of Asteraceae family are highly stable, less expensive, non-toxic, and eco-friendly. Synthesized Asteraceae-mediated nanoparticles have extensive applications in antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, and photocatalytic degradation activities. This current review provides an opportunity to understand the recent trend to design and develop strategies for advanced nanoparticles through green synthesis. Here, the review discussed about the plant parts, extraction methods, synthesis, solvents utilized, phytochemicals involved optimization conditions, characterization techniques, and toxicity of nanoparticles using species of Asteraceae and their potential applications for human welfare. Constraints and future prospects for green synthesis of nanoparticles from members of the Asteraceae family are summarized.

Biomedical Evaluation of Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticles by Jasminum Sambac (L.) Aiton Against Breast Cancer Cell Line, and Both Bacterial Strains Colonies

The biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was conducted using the Iraqi Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton leaves having substantial bioreduction and capping properties. The aqueous extract has been characterized using FTIR to observe changes in functional groups of extract compared to extract-AgNPs. GC-MS understands the mechanism synthesis of AgNPs based on the aqueous extract of J. sambac through identification of aqueous extracted. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized using UV–Vis at 455[Formula: see text]nm, XRD broad chart owing to size of AgNPs and TEM (AgNPs average size less than 10[Formula: see text]nm). FESEM-EDX was carried out to observe the nearly spherical shape with elemental composition. DLS was appointed with hydrodynamic radius as 105.9[Formula: see text]nm and also had a good polydispersity at 0.357, and [Formula: see text]-potential at [Formula: see text]23.1. AgNPs have antibacterial gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli), cytotoxicity MTT assay against breast cancer MCF-7 cell line IC50 at 222.6[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]g/mL, genotoxicity fragmented DNA of MCF-7 by comet assay, emphasized apoptosis cells through cell cycle flow cytometry. Overall, safe, cost-effective, and scalable biogenic nano-formulation of Jasminum sambac-AgNPs possesses antibacterial and anticancer therapeutic applications.

Green synthesis of chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) Chitosan nanoparticles and evaluation of their anti-fungal, anti-hemolytic, and anti-cancer activities

Chicory ( Cichorium intybus L.) is widely consumed as a food plant in many regions of the world and has been involved in traditional medicine due to its unique contents of phytochemicals. We aimed to investigate the anti-fungal, anti-hemolytic, and anti-cancer activities of chicory roots and leaves ethanolic extracts, and their Chitosan nanoparticles (Chit NPs) formulations. The ethanolic extract of chicory roots and leaves were microencapsulated into Chit NPs. The anti-hemolytic, anti-fungal, and anti-cancer activity of chicory extracts and their Chit-NPs were investigated, along with an in vitro toxicological study. Chicory extracts encapsulation into Chit NPs increased their anti-fungal activity against two fungal pathogens, Candida albicans and Aspergillus flavus. Chicory extracts and their Chit NPs appeared strong anti-hemolytic activity in hypotonic media. Due to microencapsulation of roots and leaves extracts into Chit NPs, the IC50 was decreased 2.49 and 2.6-folds in HepG2 and MCF-7 cell lines, and 6.31 and 5.50-folds in HepG2 and MCF-7 cell lines, respectively. The in vitro toxicological study revealed that the IC50 of chicory roots (56.84 ± 6.4 μg/ml) and leaves (45.51 ± 4.2 μg/ml) decreased 8.45 and 6.77-folds in the normal human fibroblasts (WI38) cell line, compared to Doxorubicin (6.72 ± 0.5 μg/ml). Microencapsulation of extracts into Chit NPs increased their toxicity 2.43-folds for Chit-Roots NPs (IC50 = 23.35 ± 2.3 μg/ml) and 1.22-fold for Chit-Leaves NPs (IC50 = 37.29 ± 2.9 μg/ml). Chicory-Chit NPs possess promising anti-cancer and anti-hemolytic activities. It is worth for further testing their efficacy and toxicity in pre-clinical animal models as well as clinical trials.

Cichorium intybus bio-callus synthesized silver nanoparticles: A promising antioxidant, antibacterial and anticancer compound

Cichorium intybus, commonly called chicory, has been widely used as a coffee substitute. It display a wide range of natural compounds and medicinally uses in treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. This study synthesized silver nanoparticles (Ci-AgNPs) using C. intybus leaf-derived callus extract to evaluate phytochemical content, antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-proliferative activities against human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB231). The optimal shape, size and stability of Ci-AgNPs was confirmed using UV-visible spectrophotometry, FESEM, EDX, XRD, DLS, Zeta potential, FTIR and sp-ICP-MS studies. The antibacterial activity of Ci-AgNPs was assessed using disk diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, and they displayed distinct zones of inhibition. Colorimetric phytochemical analysis of Ci-AgNPs revealed their higher total phenolic (TP) and total flavonoid (TF) content. Ci-AgNPs also indicated a high level of antioxidant activity using FRAP and DPPH assays. The Ci-AgNPs were investigated for their anticancer activities on the cancerous MDA-MB231 cells viability and apoptosis using MTT and flow cytometry, respectively. Ci-AgNPs showed dose dependent cytotoxicity against MDA-MB231 cells with IC50 value of 187.6 μg/mL at 48 h through induction of apoptosis. The biocompatibility test showed that Ci-AgNPs induced neglectable cytotoxicity (lower than 3 %) toward human erythrocytes. This is the first study that reports the bio-callus mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticle using C. intybus callus extract which provided a promising anticancer activity against human breast cancer MDA-MB231 cells and therefore could be used as an alternative and interesting benign strategy for biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles useful in cancer therapy.

Anticancer Effects of Gold Nanoparticles by Inducing Apoptosis in Bladder Cancer 5637 Cells

Nanotechnology is a developing and revolutionary science that has been widely recommended for diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Among the various nanoparticles used in nanotechnology, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have attracted much attentions due to their promising anticancer properties. Despite the potential advantages of AuNPs, their apoptotic and anti-angiogenic effects have not yet been reported on human bladder cancer 5637 cells. This motivated us to evaluate (reactive oxygen species) ROS-mediated apoptosis in 5637 cells. For this task, inhibitory effect of AuNPs was investigated after 24-h exposure to different concentrations of AuNPs by MTT assay. Also, apoptosis level was assessed by ROS production, flow cytometry, and Hoechst 33,258 staining. Besides, mRNA expression of B-cell lymphoma protein 2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X (Bax), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) genes, and caspase-3,7 activity were determined by qRT-PCR and colorimetric assay, respectively. Moreover, migration rate was evaluated by wound healing assay. MTT results demonstrate that AuNPs can reduce 5637-cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, while fluorimetric assay data show significant increased ROS production in 25 and 50 µg/ml-treated cells. It is also observed that AuNPs lead to Bax overexpression and downregulation of Bcl-2 and VEGFA genes. In line with this, flow cytometry results show increased levels of apoptosis in 25 and 50 µg/ml AuNP-treated cells (p < 0.05). Similarly, Hoechst staining indicates a remarkable increase in cells with apoptotic morphology after treating with AuNPs. Overall, our findings show that AuNPs significantly provoke ROS production, induce apoptosis, and suppress cell migration in bladder cancer 5637 cells.

Biogenic silver/silver chloride nanoparticles inhibit human cancer cells proliferation in vitro and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells growth in vivo

Silver/silver chloride nanoparticles (Ag/AgCl-NPs) were synthesized for the first time from the herbal Geodorum densiflorum rhizome extracts and characterized by different techniques. The surface plasmon resonance peak at 455 nm was observed in the UV–Visible spectrum, the average particle size of 25 nm was determined by SEM, XRD reflection peaks (28.00°, 32.42°, 38.28°, 46.38°, 54.94°, 57.60°, 64.64°, and 67.48°) indicated the presence of Ag-NPs and AgCl-NPs, heat stability was confirmed by TGA and FTIR analysis indicated the presence of alcohol/phenol, alkanes, primary amines, nitro compounds, alkyl chloride functional groups. The synthesized Ag/AgCl-NPs, previously synthesized Kaempferia rotunda and Zizyphus mauritiana mediated Ag/AgCl-NPs separately inhibited the proliferation of BxPC-3 cells with the IC₅₀ values of 7.8, 17.1, and 20.1 µg/ml, respectively. In the case of MCF-7 cells, the IC₅₀ values of G. densiflorum- Ag/AgCl-NPs and K. rotunda-Ag/AgCl-NPs were 21.5 and 23.5 µg/ml, respectively. Whereas the IC₅₀ of G. densiflorum-Ag/AgCl-NPs was 28.0 µg/ml against glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs). Induction of apoptosis in GSCs, BxPC-3 and MCF-7 cells was noted followed by NPs treatment. In GSCs, the expression level of NFκB, TNFα, p21, and TLR9 genes were upregulated after treatment with G. densiflorum-Ag/AgCl-NPs while in the MCF-7 cells, the expression of p53, FAS, Caspase-8 and -9, NFκB, MAPK, JNK and p21 genes were increased. G. densiflorum-Ag/AgCl-NPs inhibited 60% and 95% of EAC cells growth at the doses of 2 and 4 mg/Kg/day after intraperitoneal treatment with five consequent days, respectively. A remarkable improvement of hematological parameters with the decreased average tumor weight and increase of 75% life span of G. densiflorum-Ag/AgCl-NPs treated mice were observed. Altogether, this study reported for the first time in vitro anticancer activity of biogenic G. densiflorum-Ag/AgCl-NPs against GSC cells along with MCF-7 and BxPC-3 cells and in vivo anticancer properties against EAC cells.

Synthesis and Antioxidant Activity of Silver Nanoparticles Using the Odontonema strictum Leaf Extract

The aqueous extract of the leaves of Odontonema strictum (OSM) is used in folk medicine for its antihypertensive properties, and it contains a wide range of secondary metabolites, mostly polyphenols such as verbascoside and isoverbascoside, which could play a major role in the preparation of silver nanoparticles. In this study, we aimed to prepare AgNPs for the first time using the OSM leaf extract (OSM-AgNPs) to investigate their free radical-scavenging potency against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Dynamic light scattering (DLS), UV/Vis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the OSM-AgNPs. With a size around 100 nm and a ζ-potential of −41.1 mV, OSM-AgNPs showed a good stability and a better colloidal property due to electrostatic repulsion and the dispersity. The strong absorption peak at 3 keV in the EDX spectra indicated that silver was the major constituent. Additionally, the existence of silver atoms was confirmed by the Ag 3d_5/2 peak around 367 eV in the XPS spectra. IC₅₀ values of 116 μg/mL and 4.4 μg/mL were obtained for the scavenging activities of DPPH and H₂O₂, respectively. The synthetic OSM-AgNPs can be further exploited as potential antioxidant agents.

Formation, antimicrobial activity, and biomedical performance of plant-based nanoparticles: a review

Because many engineered nanoparticles are toxic, there is a need for methods to fabricate safe nanoparticles such as plant-based nanoparticles. Indeed, plant extracts contain flavonoids, amino acids, proteins, polysaccharides, enzymes, polyphenols, steroids, and reducing sugars that facilitate the reduction, formation, and stabilization of nanoparticles. Moreover, synthesizing nanoparticles from plant extracts is fast, safe, and cost-effective because it does not consume much energy, and non-toxic derivatives are generated. These nanoparticles have diverse and unique properties of interest for applications in many fields. Here, we review the synthesis of metal/metal oxide nanoparticles with plant extracts. These nanoparticles display antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. Plant-based nanoparticles are also useful for medical diagnosis and drug delivery.

Simultaneous detection of aqueous aluminum(III) and chromium(III) using Persea americana reduced and capped silver nanoparticles

There is a significant interest to develop sensing devices that detect water toxins, especially heavy metal ions. Although there have already been numerical reports on detecting toxic heavy metal ions, the use of adaptable devices could enable a broader range of sensing applications. Here, we used fresh peel extract (PeA) and dried peel extract (DPeA) of Persea americana (Avocado) as a reducing and capping agent to synthesize and stabilize AgNPs. The dimensions of NPs were controlled by tuning pH, temperature, and volume of the reducing agent. The sensitivity and selectivity of the AgNPs toward various metal ions viz. Ni(II), Cd(II), Al(III), Hg(II), Cr(III), Ba(II), Pb(II), Zn(II), Co(II), Mn(II), Cu(II), Ca(II), Mg(II), and K(I) were studied. The detection probe was found to be selective and sensitive toward Al(III) and Cr(III) ions with the detection limit of 0.04 ppm and 0.05 ppm, respectively. High-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, and dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis results confirm an agglomeration-based mechanism for sensing both metal ions. This method can be exploited for the colorimetric detection of toxic heavy metals in real water samples.

Photodegradation of Biohazardous Dye Brilliant Blue R Using Organometallic Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized through a Green Chemistry Method

Simple Summary

In the paper, we utilize silver nanoparticles as a catalyst in the degradation of a hazardous dye. The nanoparticles are formed from the simple silver salt by using only a plant extract from a commonly occurring herb. The plant extract contains compounds that can both reduce the silver salt and subsequently cap the surface of the as-prepared particles. There are many environmental advantages to using such an approach—nanoparticles are prepared by using simple green chemistry and the catalytic degradation of dye is carried out by sunlight energy. Such a method can be used as a very cheap, green method to neutralize hazardous substances in-house.

Abstract

Nowadays, nanostructures having tremendous chemical and physical properties are gaining attention in the biomedical industry. However, when they are prepared through classical methods (physical and chemical), they are often non-biocompatible and toxic. Considering the mentioned factors, in this research, organometallic silver nanostructures (OMAgNs) have been prepared by the green chemistry method using the acetone, methanol, and methanol-hexane-based extracts of the medicinally important plant Cichorium intybus. Secondary metabolites from C. intybus can be used as an alternative to synthetic reagents at an industrial scale to manufacture biosafe and economical nanostructures with enhanced physicochemical parameters. Prepared nanostructures were characterized using SEM, XRD, FTIR, TGA, UV, and zeta potential measurement. SEM analysis revealed different shapes of OMAgNs, prepared with various extracts. XRD analysis showed the crystallinity of the nanostructures. FTIR spectroscopy helped to identify groups of compounds present in the extracts and used for the OMAgNs synthesis. Out of the three tested OMAgNs, those prepared with methanol extract were selected due to the highest obtained yield and stability (highest negative zeta potential) and were tested as a cost-efficient and active agent to photodegrade organic pollutant, Brilliant Blue R, using energy from sunlight. A decrease in UV-VIS absorbance confirmed the rapid degradation of the dye.

Novel greenly synthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles compared to liposomes in drug delivery: in vivo investigation on Ehrlich solid tumor model

AIMS

In a previous work, a pure crystalline titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) were synthesized by green synthesis technique using Aloe vera leaves extract as reducing agent. In this work, we are aiming to investigate the potential of the novel greenly synthesized TiO2NPs as a nano-drug delivery system for the anticancer drug, doxorubicin (Dox).

MAIN METHODS

The cytotoxicity of the synthesized TiO2NPs was tested on two cell lines; normal human skin fibroblasts (HSF) and breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7). Then, Dox was loaded to both TiO2NPs (Dox- TiO2NPs) and liposomes (Dox-Lip). The loaded nanoparticles were characterized by TEM, FTIR, encapsulation efficiency, particle size and zeta potential measurement. Moreover, in vitro drug release was studied. Ehrlich tumor-bearing mice were used to study the anticancer activity of Dox- TiO2NPs, Dox-Lip, and aqueous Dox solution. Tumor volume, survival rate, and histopathological alterations were compared in all groups.

KEY FINDINGS

Dox was successfully loaded to both liposomes and TiO2NPs with an encapsulation efficiency of 77% and 65%, respectively. The particle size of Dox-TiO2NPs, and Dox-Lip was 14.53 nm, and 103 nm, respectively. The cumulative Dox released from TiO2NPs and liposomes after 4 h was 18 and 46%, respectively.Dox-Lip and Dox-TiO2NPs resulted in the highest degree of tumor growth inhibition with 100% and 83% of treated animals remained alive, respectively.

SIGNIFICANCE

The greenly synthesized TiO2NPs were proved to be as effective as liposomes in enhancing the anticancer activity of Dox.

Cytotoxic Effect of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized by Green Methods in Cancer

Cancer is a major public health problem, but despite the several treatment approaches available, patients develop resistance in short time periods, making overcoming resistance or finding more efficient treatments an imperative challenge. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been described as an alternative option due to their physicochemical properties. The scope of this review was to systematize the available scientific information concerning these characteristics in AgNPs synthesized according to green chemistry's recommendations as well as their cytotoxicity in different cancer models. This is the first paper analyzing, correlating, and summarizing AgNPs' main parameters that modulate their cellular effect, including size, shape, capping, and surface plasmon resonance profile, dose range, and exposure time. It highlights the strong dependence of AgNPs' cytotoxic effects on their characteristics and tumor model, making evident the strong need of standardization and full characterization. AgNPs' application in oncology research is a new, open, and promising field and needs additional studies.

Zizyphus mauritiana Fruit Extract-Mediated Synthesized Silver/Silver Chloride Nanoparticles Retain Antimicrobial Activity and Induce Apoptosis in MCF-7 Cells through the Fas Pathway

Recently, green synthesis of silver/silver chloride nanoparticles (Ag/AgCl-NPs) has gained a lot of interest because of the usage of natural resources, rapidness, eco-friendliness, and benignancy. Several researchers reported that silver-based biogenic NPs have both antimicrobial and anticancer properties. In the present study, Ag/AgCl-NPs were synthesized from Zizyphus mauritiana fruit extract, and their antibacterial, antifungal, and antiproliferative mechanisms against human MCF-7 cell lines were evaluated. Synthesis of Ag/AgCl-NPs from the Z. mauritiana fruit extract was confirmed by the changes of color and a peak of the UV-visible spectrum at 428 nm. The nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, X-ray powder diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis, atomic force microscope, and Fourier transform infrared. Antibacterial activity was checked against four pathogenic bacteria and two fungi. Cytotoxicity was checked against human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) and mice Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells by MTS assay and clonogenicity assay. Cell morphology of the control and nanoparticle-treated MCF-7 cells were checked by Hoechst 33342, YF488-Annexin V, and caspase-3 substrates. The level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was studied by using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein-diacetate staining. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used for gene expression. Synthesized nanoparticles were heat stable cubic crystals with an average size of 16 nm that contain silver and chlorine with various functional groups. The synthesized Ag/AgCl-NPs inhibited the growth of three pathogenic bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Shigella boydii, and Escherichia coli) and two fungi (Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma spp.). Ag/AgCl-NPs inhibited the growth of MCF-7 and EAC cells with the IC₅₀ values of 28 and 84 μg/mL, respectively. No colony was formed in MCF-7 cells in the presence of these nanoparticles as compared with control. Ag/AgCl-NPs induced apoptosis and generated ROS in MCF-7 cells. The expression level of FAS, FADD, and caspase-8 genes increased several folds with the decrease of PARP gene expression. These results demonstrated that the anti-proliferation activity of Ag/AgCl-NPs against MCF-7 cells resulted through ROS generation and induction of apoptosis through the Fas-mediated pathway.

Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Cucumis prophetarum Aqueous Leaf Extract and Their Antibacterial and Antiproliferative Activity Against Cancer Cell Lines

Biosynthesized nanoparticles are gaining attention because of biologically active plant secondary metabolites that help in green synthesis and also due to their unique biological applications. This study reports a facile, ecofriendly, reliable, and cost-effective synthesis of silver nanoparticles using the aqueous leaf extract of Cucumis prophetarum (C. prophetarum) and their antibacterial and antiproliferative activity. Silver nanoparticles were biosynthesized using the aqueous leaf extract of C. prophetarum, which acted as a reducing and capping agent. The biosynthesized C. prophetarum silver nanoparticles (Cp-AgNPs) were characterized using different techniques, such as UV-visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). Phytochemical analysis was performed to determine the phytochemicals responsible for the reduction and capping of the biosynthesized Cp-AgNPs. The antioxidant activity of the biosynthesized nanoparticles was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assays. Their antibacterial activity was checked against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive) and Salmonella typhi (Gram-negative) bacteria. The biosynthesized nanoparticles showed dosage-dependent inhibition activity with a significant zone of inhibition and were more effective toward S. typhi as compared to S. aureus. Their antiproliferative activity was evaluated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay on selected cancer cell lines. The IC₅₀ values of Cp-AgNPs on A549, MDA-MB-231, HepG2, and MCF-7 were found to be 105.8, 81.1, 94.2, and 65.6 μg/mL, respectively, and this showed that the Cp-AgNPs were more potent toward MCF-7 as compared to other cell lines used in this study. This work revealed that the biosynthesized silver nanoparticles using C. prophetarum leaf extract were associated with good antibacterial activity and antiproliferative potential against selected cancer cell lines. The biosynthesized C. prophetarum AgNPs can be further exploited as a potential candidate for antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer agents.

Green Synthesis of Ag-MnO2 Nanoparticles using Chelidonium majus and Vinca minor Extracts and Their In Vitro Cytotoxicity

Medicinal plants are often used as reducing agents to prepare metal nanoparticles through green-synthesis due to natural compounds and their potential as chemotherapeutic drugs. Thus, three types of eco-friendly Ag-MnO₂ nanoparticles (Ag-MnO₂NPs) were synthesized using C. majus (CmNPs), V. minor (VmNPs), and a 1:1 mixture of the two extracts (MNPs). These NPs were characterized using S/TEM, EDX, XRD, and FTIR methods, and their biological activity was assessed in vitro on normal keratinocytes (HaCaT) and skin melanoma cells (A375). All synthesized NPs had manganese oxide in the middle, and silver oxide and plant extract on the exterior. The NPs had different forms (polygonal, oval, and spherical), uniformly distributed, with crystalline structures and different sizes (9.3 nm for MNPs; 10 nm for VmNPs, and 32.4 nm for CmNPs). The best results were obtained with VmNPs, which reduced the viability of A375 cells up 38.8% and had a moderate cytotoxic effect on HaCaT (46.4%) at concentrations above 500 µg/mL. At the same concentrations, CmNPs had a rather proliferative effect, whereas MNPs negatively affected both cell lines. For the first time, this paper proved the synergistic action of the combined C. majus and V. minor extracts to form small and uniformly distributed Ag-MnO₂NPs with high potential for selective treatments.