Eco-friendly green synthesis of silver nanoparticles and their potential applications as antioxidant and anticancer agents

Eco-friendly green synthesis of nanoparticles using medicinal plants gained immense importance due to its potential therapeutic uses. In the current study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using water extract of Jurinea dolomiaea leaf and root at room temperature. MTT assay was used to study anticancer potential of AgNPs against cervical cancer cell line (HeLa), breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7), and mouse embryonic fibroblast (NIH-3 T3) cell line for toxicity evaluation. The antioxidant potential was evaluated using stable DPPH radicals. In addition, the apoptotic nuclear changes prompted by AgNPs in more susceptible HeLa cells were observed using fluorescence microscope through DAPI and PI staining. Physiochemical properties of biosynthesized AgNPs were characterized using various techniques. AgNPs were formed in very short time and UV–vis spectra showed characteristic absorption peak of AgNPs. SEM and TEM showed spherical shape of AgNPs and XRD revealed their crystalline nature. EDX analysis revealed high percentage of silver in green synthesized AgNPs. FTIR analysis indicated involvement of secondary metabolites in fabrication of AgNPs. In vitro cytotoxic and antioxidant study revealed that herb and biosynthesized AgNPs exhibited significant dose-dependent and time-dependent anticancer and antioxidant potential. Furthermore, study on normal cell line and microscopic analysis of apoptosis revealed that AgNPs exhibited good safety profile as compared to cisplatin and induces significant apoptosis effect. Based on the current findings, it is strongly believe that use of J. dolomiaea offers large scale production of biocompatible AgNPs that can be used as alternative anticancer agents against cancer cell lines tested.