Assessment of antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-proliferative (lung cancer cell line A549) activities of green synthesized silver nanoparticles from Derris trifoliata

Exploring the Biomedical Frontiers of Plant-Derived Nanoparticles: Synthesis and Biological Reactions

As contemporary technology advances, scientists are striving to identify new approaches to managing several diseases. Compared to the more popular physiochemical synthesis, the plant-derived combination of metallic nanoparticles using plant secondary metabolites as a precursor has a number of benefits, including low expenses, low energy consumption, biocompatibility, and medicinal usefulness. This study intends to explore the impacts of using plant-derived synthetic materials including metallic nanoparticles (NPs), emphasizing the benefits of their broad use in next-generation treatments for cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and vector diseases. This comprehensive analysis investigates the potential of plant-derived remedies for diseases and looks at cutting-edge nanoformulation techniques aimed at addressing the function of the nanoparticles that accompany these organic substances. The purpose of the current review is to determine how plant extracts contribute to the synthesis of Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), Gold nanoparticles (GtNPs), and platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs). It provides an overview of the many phytocompounds and their functions in biomedicine, including antibacterial, antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, this study placed a special focus on a range of applications, including drug delivery systems, diagnostics and therapy, the present benefits of nanoparticles (NPs), their biomedical uses in medical technology, and their toxicities.

Biomedical Applications of Green Synthesized Zinc Oxide and Magnesium-Doped Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Aqueous Extract of Ziziphus Oxyphylla Leaves

Zinc oxide (ZnO) and magnesium-doped zinc oxide (Mg-doped ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized using Ziziphus oxyphylla 's aqueous leaf extract as reducing agent. UV-Vis absorption peaks at 324 nm and 335 nm were indicative of ZnO and Mg-doped ZnO, respectively. FTIR absorption bands observed at 3238, 1043, 1400, 1401, 2186 and 2320 cm -1 suggested the presence of phenols, alcohols, saturated hydrocarbons, and possibly alkynes. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy revealed pure, spherical and agglomerated NPs with average size of 35.9 nm (ZnO) and 56.8 nm (Mg-doped ZnO). Both NPs remained active against all bacterial strains with the highest inhibition zones observed against Proteus vulgaris (21.16±1.25 mm for ZnO and 24.1±0.76 mm for Mg-doped ZnO. EtBr fluorescence (cartwheel assay) indicated efflux pump blockage, suggesting its facilitation in the bacterial growth inhibition. Antioxidant potential, determined via DPPH radical scavenging assay, revealed stronger antioxidant potential for Mg-doped ZnO (IC [Formula: see text]/mL) than pure ZnO (IC [Formula: see text]/mL). Furthermore, both NPs showed antileishmanial activity against Leishmania tropica promastigotes (IC [Formula: see text]/mL for Mg-doped ZnO and 64.34±6.56 for ZnO), while neither NP exhibited significant hemolysis, indicating biocompatibility and further assessment for their drugability.

Isolation and Characterization of Extracellular Vesicles of Chick Embryo Blood

Exosomes from plants or animals are a cheap, available, and promising option in medicine, which can be used for the detection or treatment of various diseases. This study aims to evaluate the antitoxic and antioxidant properties of Extracellular vesicle (EVs) extracted from chicken embryo blood using a fibroblast cell line (NIH/3T3). EVs from chick embryos were extracted in this experimental investigation using the sedimentation method and examined using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and field emission electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The protein concentration and overall antioxidant capacity of the EVs were determined using bicinchoninic acid (BCA) and antioxidant capacity (FRAP). EVs were added to NIH/3T3 cells at varying concentrations (1, 2, and 10 mg/ml), and the MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay test was used to measure cell survival. The size of the isolated EVs was confirmed to be less than 100 nm by electron microscopy and DLS. The quantity of protein in these EVs was 3200 µg/ml, and their total antioxidant capacities were 3130.17, 1914.122, and 976.9 μMol/L. The MTT test findings demonstrated that NIH/3T3 cells survived treatment with EVs (P ≤ 0.001) compared to the control group. Antioxidant-rich and protein-rich exosomes in chicken embryos may be valuable in managing oxidative stress.

Applications and advancements of nanoparticle-based drug delivery in alleviating lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Lung cancer (LC) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are among the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Cigarette smoking is among the main aetiologic factors for both ailments. These diseases share common pathogenetic mechanisms including inflammation, oxidative stress, and tissue remodelling. Current therapeutic approaches are limited by low efficacy and adverse effects. Consequentially, LC has a 5-year survival of < 20%, while COPD is incurable, underlining the necessity for innovative treatment strategies. Two promising emerging classes of therapy against these diseases include plant-derived molecules (phytoceuticals) and nucleic acid-based therapies. The clinical application of both is limited by issues including poor solubility, poor permeability, and, in the case of nucleic acids, susceptibility to enzymatic degradation, large size, and electrostatic charge density. Nanoparticle-based advanced drug delivery systems are currently being explored as flexible systems allowing to overcome these limitations. In this review, an updated summary of the most recent studies using nanoparticle-based advanced drug delivery systems to improve the delivery of nucleic acids and phytoceuticals for the treatment of LC and COPD is provided. This review highlights the enormous relevance of these delivery systems as tools that are set to facilitate the clinical application of novel categories of therapeutics with poor pharmacokinetic properties.

Advancement in Biopolymer Assisted Cancer Theranostics

Applications of nanotechnology have increased the importance of research and nanocarriers, which have revolutionized the method of drug delivery to treat several diseases, including cancer, in the past few years. Cancer, one of the world's fatal diseases, has drawn scientists' attention for its multidrug resistance to various chemotherapeutic drugs. To minimize the side effects of chemotherapeutic agents on healthy cells and to develop technological advancement in drug delivery systems, scientists have developed an alternative approach to delivering chemotherapeutic drugs at the targeted site by integrating it inside the nanocarriers like synthetic polymers, nanotubes, micelles, dendrimers, magnetic nanoparticles, quantum dots (QDs), lipid nanoparticles, nano-biopolymeric substances, etc., which has shown promising results in both preclinical and clinical trials of cancer management. Besides that, nanocarriers, especially biopolymeric nanoparticles, have received much attention from researchers due to their cost-effectiveness, biodegradability, treatment efficacy, and ability to target drug delivery by crossing the blood-brain barrier. This review emphasizes the fabrication processes, the therapeutic and theragnostic applications, and the importance of different biopolymeric nanocarriers in targeting cancer both in vitro and in vivo, which conclude with the challenges and opportunities of future exploration using biopolymeric nanocarriers in onco-therapy with improved availability and reduced toxicity.

Exploring the Therapeutic Properties of Alga-Based Silver Nanoparticles: Anticancer, Antibacterial, and Free Radical Scavenging Capabilities

The current study was designed to evaluate the antioxidant, anticancer and antimicrobial activities of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) biosynthesized by Spirulina platensis extract. The biosynthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The antioxidant activity of the biosynthesized AgNPs were determined via DPPH radical scavenging assay while its anticancer activity was determined using the MTT assay. The antimicrobial activity of the biosynthesized AgNPs were analyzed by disc diffusion method. Spirulina platensis acts as a reducing and capping agent. The efficacy of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in inhibiting the growth of Gram-negative bacteria, specifically Acetobacter, Klebsiella, Proteus vulgaris, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, was assessed by the utilisation of the diffusion method. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against many strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. The findings of the study revealed that when administered in doses of 50 μl, 75 μl, and 100 μl, the largest observed zone of inhibition corresponded to measurements of 10.5 mm, 14 mm, and 16 mm, respectively. A zone of inhibition with dimensions of 8 mm, 10.5 mm, and 12 mm was detected during testing against Acetobacter at concentrations of 50 μl, 75 μl, and 100 μl, respectively. The findings also indicate that there is a positive correlation between the concentration of AgNP and the DPPH scavenging ability of silver nanoparticles. The percentage of inhibition observed at concentrations of 500 μg/ml, 400 μg/ml, 300 μg/ml, 200 μg/ml, and 100 μg/ml were recorded as 80±1.98, 61±1.98, 52±1.5, 42±1.99, and 36±1.97, respectively. In addition, it was observed that the silver nanoparticles exhibited the greatest antioxidant activity at a concentration of 500 g/ml, with a measured value of 80.89±1.99. The IC-50 values, representing the inhibitory concentration required to achieve 50 % inhibition, were found to be 8.16, 19.15, 30.14, 41.13, and 63.11 at inhibition levels of 36±1.97, 42±1.99, 52±1.5, 61±1.98, and 80±1.98, respectively.

Biogenic Silver Nanoparticles for Targeted Cancer Therapy and Enhancing Photodynamic Therapy

Different conventional therapeutic procedures are utilized globally to manage cancer cases, yet the mortality rate in patients with cancer remains considerably high. Developments in the field of nanotechnology have included novel therapeutic strategies to deal with cancer. Biogenic (green) metallic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) obtained using plant-mediated protocols are attractive to researchers exploring cancer treatment. Biogenic AgNPs present advantages, since they are cost-effective, easy to obtain, energy efficient, and less toxic compared to chemically and physically obtained AgNPs. Also, they present excellent anticancer abilities thanks to their unique sizes, shapes, and optical properties. This review provides recent advancements in exploring biogenic AgNPs as a drug or agent for cancer treatment. Thus, great attention was paid to the anticancer efficacy of biogenic AgNPs, their anticancer mechanisms, their efficacy in cancer photodynamic therapy (PDT), their efficacy in targeted cancer therapy, and their toxicity.

The antioxidant activity, preliminary phytochemical screening of Zingiber zerumbet and antimicrobial efficacy against selective endodontic bacteria

Antibiotic resistance is rising across the world. For a very long time, bitter ginger (Zingiber zerumbet) has been used as one of the most popular herbal remedies to treat a wide range of common diseases. Ginger has been shown to have antioxidant and antibacterial activity. It has various bioactive chemicals that might be utilized as an alternative treatment option for many infectious diseases. The present study aimed to examine the biochemical profile of ginger, antioxidant, and antibacterial activity against selective endodontic microbes. Antioxidant was measured using DPPH and antibacterial activity was performed using disk diffusion tests. Streptococcus mutants, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus spp., and Lactobacillus spp. were tested for antibacterial activity. Before evaluating the dried extracts, all solvents were eliminated using rotary evaporation. The obtained IC50 value revealed that ethanol extract had the greatest antioxidant activity. Concerning each bacterium, the plant extracts demonstrated considerable antibacterial activity (p = .001). Ethanol extracts showed the strongest antibacterial activity against the studied microorganisms. This study highlights that the Zingiber zerumbet (Z. zerumbet) is a strong antibacterial herb against multidrug-resistant (MDR) gram-positive bacteria. It may also be employed as a possible natural antioxidant source.

Green Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles: A Potential Antibacterial Agent, Antioxidant, and Colorimetric Nanoprobe for the Detection of Hg2+ Ions

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) prepared by green synthesis have a lot of potentials in various fields. Among them, as an antioxidant, antibacterial agent, and nanoprobe for the colorimetric detection of mercury (Hg2+) ions is thought to be the most important. The antibacterial, antioxidant, and colorimetric sensing potential of the greenly produced AgNPs utilizing Piper chaba stem extract are all predicted in this investigation. By using the disc diffusion method, the antibacterial activity of greenly produced AgNPs are assessed, and the findings are measured from the zone of inhibition (ZOI). It is revealed that the Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus spp., Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterial strains are significantly resisted by the greenly produced AgNPs. The antioxidant activity test of AgNPs reveals a considerable impact on free radical scavenging having the inhibitory concentration (IC 50) is 1.13 mL (equivalent to 0.45 mg mL-1). Also, with a low limit of detection of 28 ppm, the resulting AgNPs are used as highly selective and economical colorimetric sensors for Hg2+ detection. The study's findings support the hypothesis that Piper chaba stems can serve as a source for the production of AgNPs with high antibacterial and antioxidant activity and usefulness for simple colorimetric readings of Hg2+.

Recent advances in nanoparticle applications in respiratory disorders: a review

Various nanoparticles are used in the discovery of new nanomedicine to overcome the shortages of conventional drugs. Therefore, this article presents a comprehensive and up-to-date review of the effects of nanoparticle-based drugs in the treatment of respiratory disorders, including both basic and clinical studies. Databases, including PubMed, Web of Knowledge, and Scopus, were searched until the end of August 2022 regarding the effect of nanoparticles on respiratory diseases. As a new tool, nanomedicine offered promising applications for the treatment of pulmonary diseases. The basic composition and intrinsic characteristics of nanomaterials showed their effectiveness in treating pulmonary diseases. The efficiency of different nanomedicines has been demonstrated in experimental animal models of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis (PF), lung cancer, lung infection, and other lung disorders, confirming their function in the improvement of respiratory disorders. Various types of nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, dendrimers, polymeric nanomaterials, liposomes, quantum dots, and metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, have demonstrated therapeutic effects on respiratory disorders, which may lead to new possible remedies for various respiratory illnesses that could increase drug efficacy and decrease side effects.

Current Trends and Prospects for Application of Green Synthesized Metal Nanoparticles in Cancer and COVID-19 Therapies

Cancer and COVID-19 have been deemed as world health concerns due to the millions of lives that they have claimed over the years. Extensive efforts have been made to develop sophisticated, site-specific, and safe strategies that can effectively diagnose, prevent, manage, and treat these diseases. These strategies involve the implementation of metal nanoparticles and metal oxides such as gold, silver, iron oxide, titanium oxide, zinc oxide, and copper oxide, formulated through nanotechnology as alternative anticancer or antiviral therapeutics or drug delivery systems. This review provides a perspective on metal nanoparticles and their potential application in cancer and COVID-19 treatments. The data of published studies were critically analysed to expose the potential therapeutic relevance of green synthesized metal nanoparticles in cancer and COVID-19. Although various research reports highlight the great potential of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles as alternative nanotherapeutics, issues of nanotoxicity, complex methods of preparation, biodegradability, and clearance are lingering challenges for the successful clinical application of the NPs. Thus, future innovations include fabricating metal nanoparticles with eco-friendly materials, tailor making them with optimal therapeutics for specific disease targeting, and in vitro and in vivo evaluation of safety, therapeutic efficiency, pharmacokinetics, and biodistribution.

Green synthesis of reduced graphene oxide/chitosan/gold nanoparticles composites and their catalytic activity for reduction of 4-nitrophenol

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have attracted extensive attention in the past few years due to their unique properties and great potential application in catalysis. However, the application of AuNPs remains a significant challenge due to the lack of high efficiency and stability caused by aggregation. Immobilization of AuNPs on appropriate support shows promising results in avoiding aggregation and improving catalytic activity. In this work, reduced graphene oxide/chitosan/gold nanoparticles (rGO/CHS/AuNPs) composites were prepared using chitosan with different molecular weights (MW) as a reducing agent and stabilizer, and characterized by FT-IR, XRD, XPS, SEM, FESEM, EDS, TEM, HRTEM, and TGA. The preparation conditions of rGO/CHS/AuNPs composites, including chitosan MW, CHS/GO mass ratio, reaction temperature and time, and HAuCl₄ concentration were investigated in detail. The results indicated that reduction activity of chitosan for GO increased with the decrease of chitosan MW. The C/O ratio of rGO reduced by low molecular weight chitosan (LMWC) with viscosity-average molecular weight (Mv) of 21 kDa was 6.34. Small spherical AuNPs were uniformly immobilized on the rGO surface. The particle size of AuNPs increased from 9.29 to 13.03 nm as chitosan MW decreased from 465 to 21 kDa. The rGO/CHS/AuNPs showed good catalytic activity for the reduction of 4-NP in the presence of NaBH₄. The catalytic activity of rGO/CHS/AuNPs was closely related to chitosan MW. rGO/CHS/AuNPs synthesized by LMWC with Mv of 21 kDa showed the highest kinetic rate constant of 0.2067 min^-1. The results of this experimental study could be useful in the development of effective catalysts for the reduction of aromatic nitro compounds.

Targeting Apoptotic Pathway of Cancer Cells with Phytochemicals and Plant-Based Nanomaterials

Apoptosis is the elimination of functionally non-essential, neoplastic, and infected cells via the mitochondrial pathway or death receptor pathway. The process of apoptosis is highly regulated through membrane channels and apoptogenic proteins. Apoptosis maintains cellular balance within the human body through cell cycle progression. Loss of apoptosis control prolongs cancer cell survival and allows the accumulation of mutations that can promote angiogenesis, promote cell proliferation, disrupt differentiation, and increase invasiveness during tumor progression. The apoptotic pathway has been extensively studied as a potential drug target in cancer treatment. However, the off-target activities of drugs and negative implications have been a matter of concern over the years. Phytochemicals (PCs) have been studied for their efficacy in various cancer cell lines individually and synergistically. The development of nanoparticles (NPs) through green synthesis has added a new dimension to the advancement of plant-based nanomaterials for effective cancer treatment. This review provides a detailed insight into the fundamental molecular pathways of programmed cell death and highlights the role of PCs along with the existing drugs and plant-based NPs in treating cancer by targeting its programmed cell death (PCD) network.

Applications of Metallic Nanoparticles in the Skin Cancer Treatment

Skin cancer is one of leading cancers globally, divided into two major categories including melanoma and nonmelanoma. Skin cancer is a global concern with an increasing trend, hence novel therapies are essential. The local treatment strategies play a key role in skin cancer therapy. Nanoparticles (NPs) exert potential applications in medicine with huge advantages and have the ability to overcome common chemotherapy problems. Recently, NPs have been used in nanomedicine as promising drug delivery systems. They can enhance the solubility of poorly water-soluble drugs, improve pharmacokinetic properties, modify bioavailability, and reduce drug metabolism. The high-efficient, nontoxic, low-cost, and specific cancer therapy is a promising goal, which can be achieved by the development of nanotechnology. Metallic NPs (MNPs) can act as important platforms. MNPs development seeks to enhance the therapeutic efficiency of medicines through site specificity, prevention of multidrug resistance, and effective delivery of therapeutic factors. MNPs are used as potential arms in the case of cancer recognition, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and colloidal mediators for magnetic hyperthermia of cancer. The applications of MNPs in the cancer treatment studies are mostly due to their potential to carry a large dose of drug, resulting in a high concentration of anticancer drugs at the target site. Therefore, off-target toxicity and suffering side effects caused by high concentration of the drug in other parts of the body are avoided. MNPs have been applied as drug carriers for the of improvement of skin cancer treatment and drug delivery. The development of MNPs improves the results of many cancer treatments. Different types of NPs, such as inorganic and organic NPs have been investigated in vitro and in vivo for the skin cancer therapy. MNPs advantages mostly include biodegradability, electrostatic charge, good biocompatibility, high drug payload, and low toxicity. However, the use of controlled-release systems stimulated by electromagnetic waves, temperature, pH, and light improves the accumulation in tumor tissues and improves therapeutic outcomes. This study (2019-2022) is aimed at reviewing applications of MNPs in the skin cancer therapy.

Effect of the physicochemical changes in the antimicrobial durability of green synthesized silver nanoparticles during their long-term storage

It is generally recognized that the stability of nanoparticles (NPs) has a great impact on their potential biological applications. Despite this, very few studies have investigated the change in toxicity of NPs over time but none has studied the periodic physicochemical changes contributing to it. To address this, we analyzed the effects of long-term storage on the physicochemical changes of green synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) that directly influences their antimicrobial durability. Light-induced slow synthesis of AgNPs was carried out using Saraca asoca aqueous leaf extract. The synthesis was optimized with respect to parameters known to play a major role in the long-term stability of AgNPs: pH, temperature, light exposure time, AgNO₃ concentration, extract proportion in the reaction mixture and storage conditions. Freshly synthesized AgNPs were characterized and then stored under optimized conditions. UV-vis spectrophotometry, AAS, conventional TEM and HR-TEM along with EDX spectroscopy were used at regular intervals to test the physicochemical properties that influence their long-term stability. Broth dilution assay was used to test antimicrobial activity of AgNPs against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Under dark storage conditions at room temperature, the AgNPs exhibited excellent stability with very good dispersity, throughout the study period of 18 months, despite the particles undergoing physicochemical changes in largescale. AgNPs exhibited sufficient antimicrobial activity against both strains tested. Due to the stronger stabilizing effect of the extract, we observed the lowest inhibition of E. coli and S. aureus by the freshly synthesized and 15 day old AgNPs; however, the inhibition rate escalated after a month and the highest rate of inhibition was observed with the particles between 2 months to 6 months of storage. After 6 months, we observed the particles losing their antimicrobial potential gradually, that lasted throughout the rest of our study period. This observation was in accord with the physicochemical changes that AgNPs were undergoing with time. By deepening our understanding of the changes in the physicochemical properties of green synthesized AgNPs over time, this study contributes to the development of more effective, durable, and potent AgNPs.

A spotlight on alkaloid nanoformulations for the treatment of lung cancer

Numerous naturally available phytochemicals have potential anti-cancer activities due to their vast structural diversity. Alkaloids have been extensively used in cancer treatment, especially lung cancers, among the plant-based compounds. However, their utilization is limited by their poor solubility, low bioavailability, and inadequacies such as lack of specificity to cancer cells and indiscriminate distribution in the tissues. Incorporating the alkaloids into nanoformulations can overcome the said limitations paving the way for effective delivery of the alkaloids to the site of action in sufficient concentrations, which is crucial in tumor targeting. Our review attempts to assess whether alkaloid nanoformulation can be an effective tool in lung cancer therapy. The mechanism of action of each alkaloid having potential is explored in great detail in the review. In general, Alkaloids suppress oncogenesis by modulating several signaling pathways involved in multiplication, cell cycle, and metastasis, making them significant component of many clinical anti-cancerous agents. The review also explores the future prospects of alkaloid nanoformulation in lung cancer. So, in conclusion, alkaloid based nanoformulation will emerge as a potential gamechanger in treating lung cancer in the near future.

A Critical Review of the Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activities of Green-Synthesized Plant-Based Metallic Nanoparticles

Metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) produced by green synthesis using plant extracts have attracted huge interest in the scientific community due to their excellent antibacterial, antifungal and antibiofilm activities. To evaluate these pharmacological properties, several methods or protocols have been successfully developed and implemented. Although these protocols were mostly inspired by the guidelines from national and international regulatory bodies, they suffer from a glaring absence of standardization of the experimental conditions. This situation leads to a lack of reproducibility and comparability of data from different study settings. To minimize these problems, guidelines for the antimicrobial and antibiofilm evaluation of MNPs should be developed by specialists in the field. Being aware of the immensity of the workload and the efforts required to achieve this, we set out to undertake a meticulous literature review of different experimental protocols and laboratory conditions used for the antimicrobial and antibiofilm evaluation of MNPs that could be used as a basis for future guidelines. This review also brings together all the discrepancies resulting from the different experimental designs and emphasizes their impact on the biological activities as well as their interpretation. Finally, the paper proposes a general overview that requires extensive experimental investigations to set the stage for the future development of effective antimicrobial MNPs using green synthesis.

Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles from Extracts of Wild Ginger (Zingiber zerumbet) with Antibacterial Activity against Selective Multidrug Resistant Oral Bacteria

Antibiotic resistance rate is rising worldwide. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are potent for fighting antimicrobial resistance (AMR), independently or synergistically. The purpose of this study was to prepare AgNPs using wild ginger extracts and to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of these AgNPs against multidrug-resistant (MDR) Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, and Enterococcus faecalis. AgNPs were synthesized using wild ginger extracts at room temperature through different parameters for optimization, i.e., pH and variable molar concentration. Synthesis of AgNPs was confirmed by UV/visible spectroscopy and further characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis (EDXA), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Disc and agar well diffusion techniques were utilized to determine the in vitro antibacterial activity of plant extracts and AgNPs. The surface plasmon resonance peaks in absorption spectra for silver suspension showed the absorption maxima in the range of 400–420 nm. Functional biomolecules such as N–H, C–H, O–H, C–O, and C–O–C were present in Zingiber zerumbet (Z. zerumbet) (aqueous and organic extracts) responsible for the AgNP formation characterized by FTIR. The crystalline structure of ZZAE-AgCl-NPs and ZZEE-AgCl-NPs was displayed in the XRD analysis. SEM analysis revealed the surface morphology. The EDXA analysis also confirmed the element of silver. It was revealed that AgNPs were seemingly spherical in morphology. The biosynthesized AgNPs exhibited complete antibacterial activity against the tested MDR bacterial strains. This study indicates that AgNPs of wild ginger extracts exhibit potent antibacterial activity against MDR bacterial strains.

Recent Developments in Metallic Nanomaterials for Cancer Therapy, Diagnosing and Imaging Applications

Cancer continues to represent a global health concern, imposing an ongoing need to research for better treatment alternatives. In this context, nanomedicine seems to be the solution to existing problems, bringing unprecedented results in various biomedical applications, including cancer therapy, diagnosing, and imaging. As numerous studies have uncovered the advantageous properties of various nanoscale metals, this review aims to present metal-based nanoparticles that are most frequently employed for cancer applications. This paper follows the description of relevant nanoparticles made of metals, metal derivatives, hybrids, and alloys, further discussing in more detail their potential applications in cancer management, ranging from the delivery of chemotherapeutics, vaccines, and genes to ablative hyperthermia therapies and theranostic platforms.

Seaweed bioactive compounds: Promising and safe inputs for the green synthesis of metal nanoparticles in the food industry

Scientific research on developing and characterizing eco-friendly metal nanoparticles (NPs) is an active area experiencing currently a systematic and continuous growth. A variety of physical, chemical and more recently biological methods can be used for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles. Among them, reports supporting the potential use of algae in the NPs green synthesis, contribute with only a minor proportion, although seaweed was demonstrated to perform as a successful reducing and stabilizing agent. Thus, the first part of the present review depicts the up-to-date information on the use of algae extracts for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles, including a deep discussion of the certain advantages as well as some limitations of this synthesis route. In the second part, the available characterization techniques to unravel their inherent properties such as specific size, shape, composition, morphology and dispersibility are comprehensively described, to finally focus on the factors affecting their applications, bioactivity, potential toxic impact on living organisms and incorporation into food matrices or food packaging, as well as future prospects. The present article identifies the key knowledge gap in a systematic way highlighting the critical next steps in the green synthesis of metal NPs mediated by algae.

A Systematic Review of Biosynthesized Metallic Nanoparticles as a Promising Anti-Cancer-Strategy

Cancer is one of the foremost causes of death worldwide. Cancer develops because of mutation in genes that regulate normal cell cycle and cell division, thereby resulting in uncontrolled division and proliferation of cells. Various drugs have been used to treat cancer thus far; however, conventional chemotherapeutic drugs have lower bioavailability, rapid renal clearance, unequal delivery, and severe side effects. In the recent years, nanotechnology has flourished rapidly and has a multitude of applications in the biomedical field. Bio-mediated nanoparticles (NPs) are cost effective, safe, and biocompatible and have got substantial attention from researchers around the globe. Due to their safe profile and fewer side effects, these nanoscale materials offer a promising cure for cancer. Currently, various metallic NPs have been designed to cure or diagnose cancer; among these, silver (Ag), gold (Au), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) are the leading anti-cancer NPs. The anticancer potential of these NPs is attributed to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cellular compartments that eventually leads to activation of autophagic, apoptotic and necrotic death pathways. In this review, we summarized the recent advancements in the biosynthesis of Ag, Au, Zn and Cu NPs with emphasis on their mechanism of action. Moreover, nanotoxicity, as well as the future prospects and opportunities of nano-therapeutics, are also highlighted.

ROS-Mediated Apoptosis Induced by BSA Nanospheres Encapsulated with Fruit Extract of Cucumis prophetarum in Various Human Cancer Cell Lines

In recent decades, biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles have been used as a nanocarrier for the delivery of anticancer drugs. In the present study, we synthesize bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanospheres and evaluate their ability to incorporate a plant extract with anticancer activity. The plant extract used was the methanol fruit extract of Cucumis prophetarum, which is a medicinal herb. The fruit-extract-encapsulated BSA nanospheres (Cp-BSA nanospheres) were prepared using a desolvation method at various pH values of 5, 7, and 9. The nanosphere formulations were characterized using various techniques such as dynamic light scattering (DLS), ζ-potential, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and field-effect scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The results show that the Cp-BSA nanospheres prepared at pH 7 were spherical with a uniform particle size, low polydispersity index (PDI), ζ-potential, and high entrapment efficiency (82.3%) and showed sustained release of fruit extract from Cp-BSA nanospheres in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), pH 5. The anticancer activity was evaluated on A549, HepG2, MCF-7 cancer cell lines and HEK 293 normal cell lines. In vitro, antioxidant activity using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and mitochondrial membrane potential were estimated. An in vitro cellular uptake study was performed using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) dye at a different time of incubation, and DNA fragmentation was observed in a dose-dependent manner. The gene expression level of Bax and the suppression level of Bcl-2 were observed upon the treatment of Cp-BSA nanospheres. Thus, the Cp-BSA nanospheres triggered ROS-dependent mitochondrial apoptosis in different human cancer cell lines when compared to the noncancerous cell lines and could be used as a potential candidate for anticancer agents.

Saccorhiza polyschides used to synthesize gold and silver nanoparticles with enhanced antiproliferative and immunostimulant activity

Over the last years, there has been an increasing trend towards the use of environmentally friendly processes to synthesize nanomaterials. In the case of nanomedicine, the use of bionanofactories with associated biological properties, such as seaweed, has emerged as a promising field of work due to the possibility they open for both the preservation of those properties in the nanomaterials synthesized and/or the reduction of their toxicity. In the present study, gold (Au@SP) and silver (Ag@SP) nanoparticles were synthesized using an aqueous extract of Saccorhiza polyschides (SP). Several techniques showed that the nanoparticles formed were spherical and stable, with mean diameters of 14 ± 2 nm for Au@SP and 15 ± 3 nm for Ag@SP. The composition of the biomolecules in the extract and the nanoparticles were also analyzed. The analyses performed indicate that the extract acts as a protective medium, with the particles embedded in it preventing aggregation and coalescence. Au@SP and Ag@SP showed superior immunostimulant and antiproliferative activity on immune and tumor cells, respectively, to that of the SP extract. Moreover, the nanoparticles were able to modulate the release of reactive oxygen species depending on the concentration. Hence, both nanoparticles have a significant therapeutic potential for the treatment of cancer or in immunostimulant therapy.

Effect of Mg doping on ZnO fabricated using aqueous leaf extract of Ziziphus mauritiana Lam. for antioxidant and antibacterial studies

Aqueous leaf extract of Ziziphus mauritiana Lam. was successfully used to synthesize zinc oxide (ZnO) and magnesium-doped ZnO (Mg-doped ZnO) particles and acted as capping and stabilizing agent. UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra showed that optical band gap energy of ZnO has narrowed from 3.11 to 3.08 eV and 3.03 eV when doped with 1% Mg and 5% Mg, respectively. Powder X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies confirmed the purity and crystalline nature of the synthesized materials. FT-IR spectroscopy revealed the presence of phytochemicals coated on the surface of synthesized materials. The synthesized materials were found to effectively scavenge DPPH radicals in the presence of visible light in comparison to the dark. The antibacterial properties of the synthesized materials were evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The obtained results revealed that Staphylococcus aureus seemed to be more sensitive to the green synthesized ZnO and Mg-doped ZnO than Escherichia coli.

Green Approach to Overcome the Resistance Pattern of Candida spp. Using Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticles Fabricated by Penicillium chrysogenum F9

Candida species are the most common causative agents responsible for the majority of morbidity as well as mortality rates due to invasive fungal infections worldwide. In this study, a green approach was developed to control the pathogenic Candida spp. isolated from clinical samples, and prior data collections, ethics approval was obtained. Sixty candida isolates were obtained from the different device-associated infections and identified as Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida glabrata with prevalence rates 41.6, 38.3, 8.3, 6.6, and 5%, respectively. On the other hand, silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) were extra-cellular synthesized by biomass filtrate of previously identified Penicillium chrysogenum strain F9. The physico-chemical characterizations of biosynthesized Ag-NPs were assessed by using UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, transmission electron microscope (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DIS), and zeta potential (ζ) analysis. Data revealed successful synthesis of crystallographic spherical Ag-NPs with average size 18 to 60 nm at maximum absorption peak 415 nm. FT-IR analysis confirmed the presence of functional groups related to reduction, capping, and stabilizing Ag-NPs. The DLS analysis showed that NPs were homogenous and stable with poly-dispersity index (PDI) and ζ value 0.008 and - 21 mV, respectively. Susceptibility pattern analysis revealed that sixty Candida isolates (100%) were susceptible to Ag-NPs as compared to 25 isolates (41.6%), and 30 isolates (50%) were susceptible to fluconazole and amphotericin B, respectively. Interestingly, 30 Candida isolates (50%) were resistant to amphotericin B, which are more than those recorded for fluconazole (17 isolates with percent 28.3%), while 18 candida isolates (30%) were susceptible dose-dependent to fluconazole. The recorded minimum inhibitory concentration _50/90 (MIC_50/90) was 62.5/125, 16/64, and 1/4 for Ag-NPs, fluconazole, and amphotericin B, respectively. However, green synthesized Ag-NPs can be used to overcome the resistance pattern of Candida spp., and recommended as an anti-candida agent.

Comparation of the phytotoxicity between chemically and green synthesized silver nanoparticles

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) by using plants extracts has provided an eco-friendly alternation for industry and agriculture application. Here, we prepared Ag NPs by using the cucumber leaves and rice husk extracts, and further assessed the antimicrobial activity and phytotoxicity of green synthesized Ag NPs (g-Ag NPs) comparing with chemically synthesized Ag NPs (chem-Ag NPs). The chem-Ag NPs had strong antibacterial activity on the growth of Escherichia coli, while g-Ag NPs by rice husks (gr-Ag NPs) exhibited long-term antibacterial effects. In terms of phytotoxicity, the chem-Ag NPs induced over-generation of ROS and activated plant antioxidant defense systems, thus resulting in the upregulation of MDA and Zn contents and downregulation of antioxidant capacity, carotenoid, globulin and Mo contents. However, g-Ag NPs significantly promoted cucumber photosynthesis by increasing chlorophyll contents. Besides, the green synthesized Ag NPs by cucumber extracts (gc-Ag NPs) increased protein contents and gr-Ag NPs stimulated the upregulation of Mn and the downregulation of Al, which were all positive effects. Overall, compared with chem-Ag NPs, g-Ag NPs exhibited long-tern antimicrobial properties and attenuated toxicity to plants, which could be used as potential nanopesticide or nanoscale growth regulator in agriculture.

Anticancer potential of AgNPs synthesized using Acinetobacter sp. and Curcuma aromatica against HeLa cell lines: A comparative study

BACKGROUND

Biogenic nanoparticles are gaining attention due to their low toxicity and numerous biomedical applications. Present study aimed to compare the potential anticancer activity of two biogenic silver nanoparticles (bAgNPs and pAgNPs) against human cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa).

METHODS

bAgNPs were synthesized using Acinetobacter sp. whereas pAgNPs were synthesized using aqueous root extract of Curcuma aromatica. Effect of these nanoparticles on HeLa cells viability was studied using MTT assay and colony formation assay. Anticancer potential was determined using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry studies. Bio-compatibility studies were performed against peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

RESULTS

Both the nanoparticles showed 50 % viability of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) when used at high concentration (200 μg/mL). IC₅₀ for bAgNPs and pAgNPs against HeLa cells were 17.4 and 14 μg/mL respectively. Colony formation ability of Hela cells was reduced on treatment with both nanoparticles. Acridine orange and ethidium bromide staining demonstrated that bAgNPs were cytostatic whereas pAgNPs were apoptotic. JC-1 dye staining revealed that the mitochondrial membrane potential was affected on treatment with pAgNPs while it remained unchanged on bAgNPs treatment. Flow cytometry confirmed cell cycle arrest in HeLa cells on treatment with nanoparticles further leading to apoptosis in case of pAgNPs. About 77 and 58 % HeLa cells were found in subG1 phase on treatment with bAgNPs and pAgNPs respectively. bAgNPs showed cytostatic effect on HeLa cells arresting the cell growth in subG1 phase, whereas, pAgNPs triggered death of HeLa cells through mitochondrial membrane potential impairment and apoptosis.

CONCLUSION

Overall, bAgNPs and pAgNPs could be safe and showed potential to be used as anticancer nano-antibiotics against human cervical cancer cells.

Antimicrobial, Antioxidant and Larvicidal Activities of Spherical Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized by Endophytic Streptomyces spp

In this study, metabolites involved in the free-biomass filtrates for three endophytic actinomycetes of Streptomyces capillispiralis Ca-1, Streptomyces zaomyceticus Oc-5, and Streptomyces pseudogriseolus Acv-11 were used as biocatalysts for green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs). Characterization of biosynthesized Ag-NPs was accomplished using UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and particle size analyzer. The biosynthesized Ag-NPs showed maximum surface plasmon resonance (SPR) at 440 for strain Ca-1 and 450 for both strains of OC-5 and Acv-11. Nanoparticle spherical shape was recorded with size ranging from 23.77 to 63.14 nm, 11.32 to 36.72 nm, and 11.70 to 44.73 nm for Ca-1, Oc-5, and Acv-11, respectively. SEM-EDX analysis exhibited the weight percentages of 17.3, 22.3, and 48.7% for Ag-NPs synthesized by strains Ca-1, Oc-5 and Acv-11, respectively. The activities of biosynthesized Ag-NPs were concentration dependent and the obtained results confirmed the efficacy of Ag-NPs as antimicrobial agents against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well unicellular and multicellular fungi. The MIC for Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli), and eukaryotic microorganisms was 0.25 mM with clear zone ranging from 10.3 to 14.6 mm, while MIC for Pseudomonas aeruginosa was 1.0 mM for Ag-NPs synthesized by strain Ca-1 and 0.25 mM for those synthesized by strains Oc-5 and Acv-11. Moreover, Ag-NPs exhibited antimicrobial activity against four plant pathogenic fungi represented by Alternaria alternata, Fusarium oxysporum, Pythium ultimum, and Aspergillus niger at 2.0, 1.5, 1.0, and 0.5 mM of Ag-NPs with different degree. In vitro assessment of the antioxidant efficacy of biosynthesized Ag-NPs was achieved by scavenging assay of H₂O₂, reducing power of Fe³⁺, or total antioxidant assay. The results showed that antioxidant activities of Ag-NPs were concentration dependent with the highest activity at Ag-NP concentration of 2.0 mM. Furthermore, the biosynthesized NPs have prospective bioinsecticidal activity against Culex pipiens and Musca domestica. Green synthesis of NPs could be quite potential for the development of new bioactive compounds used in different biomedical applications.

Plant extract mediated synthesis enhanced the functional properties of silver ferrite nanoparticles over chemical mediated synthesis

In this study, the antibacterial, antioxidant and cytotoxicity behaviour of silver ferrite nanoparticles (AgFeO2 NPs) synthesized through chemical and green routes were compared. Green synthesis (Bio) of AgFeO2 NPs were prepared by precipitation method using Amaranthus blitum leaves extract as a reducing agent. Chemical synthesis (Che) of AgFeO2 NPs was mediated by sodium borohydride as a reducing agent. [AgFeO2 (Bio)] NPs showed reduced size, better monodispersity and surface area compared to [AgFeO2 (Che)] NPs. The results showed that synthesized NPs have better antibacterial activity against E. coli than S. aureus. In addition, 250 μg of AgFeO2 (Bio) and (Che) NPs showed antioxidant efficiency of 98 and 86%. The results showed that [AgFeO2 (Bio)] NPs showed lower cytotoxicity [AgFeO2 (Che)] NPs against human human embryonic kidney (HEK 293) cells. These results suggest that [AgFeO2 (Bio)] NPs have improved physicochemical properties thereby they can be used as an effective biocatalytic material in biotechnology.

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.

Phytosynthesized Metallic Nanoparticles-between Nanomedicine and Toxicology. A Brief Review of 2019's Findings

Phytosynthesized nanoparticles represent a continuously increasing field of research, with numerous studies published each year. However, with the emerging interest in this area, the quality of the published works is also continuously increasing, switching from routine antioxidant or antimicrobial studies on trivial microbial lines to antibiotic-resistant strains or antitumoral studies. However, this increasing interest has not been not reflected in the studies regarding the toxicological effects of nanoparticles (NPs); this should be a subject of greatest interest, as the increasing administration of NPs in general (and phytosynthesized NPs in particular) could lead to their accumulation in the environment (soil, water and living organisms). The present review aims to present the most recent findings in the application of phytosynthesized NPs as antimicrobial and antitumoral agents, as well as the results regarding their toxicological potential.