Silver using Centella asiatica leaf extract: apoptosis induction in MCF-7 breast cancer cell line

Investigating the proliferative inhibition of HepG2 cells by exosome-like nanovesicles derived from Centella asiatica extract through metabolomics

Nano-particles demonstrating excellent anticancer properties have gradually found application in cancer therapy. However, their widespread use is impeded by their potential toxicity, high cost, and the complexity of the preparation process. In this study, we achieved exosome-like Centella asiatica-derived nanovesicles (ADNVs) through a straightforward juicing and high-speed centrifugation process. We employed transmission electron microscopy and nanoparticle flow cytometry to characterize the morphology, diameter, and stability of the ADNVs. We evaluated the in vitro anticancer effects of ADNVs using Cell Counting Kit-8 and apoptosis assays. Through sequencing and bicinchoninic acid protein analysis, we discovered the abundant presence of proteins and microRNAs in ADNVs. These microRNAs can target various diseases such as cancer and infection. Furthermore, we demonstrated the effective internalization of ADNVs by HepG2 cells, resulting in an increase in reactive oxygen species levels, mitochondrial damage, cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase, and apoptosis. Finally, we analyzed changes in cellular metabolites post-treatment using cell metabolomics techniques. Our findings indicated that ADNVs primarily influence metabolic pathways such as amino acid metabolism and lipid biosynthesis, which are closely associated with HepG2 treatment. Our results demonstrate the potential utility of ADNVs as anticancer agents.

Nanoencapsulation of extracts and isolated compounds of plant origin and their cytotoxic effects on breast and cervical cancer treatments: Advantages and new challenges

This review analyzes the current progress in loaded nanoparticles (NPs) of plant extracts or isolated antineoplastic compounds used in breast and cervical cancer treatments. Also, it provides a comprehensive overview of the contributions made by traditional medicine and nanomedicine to the research of two of the most prevalent types of cancer in women worldwide: breast and cervical cancer. Searches were conducted in electronic databases to gather relevant information related to the biological activity of the NPs, which were meticulously reviewed. Nanomedicine has advanced to incorporate plant compounds including their crude extracts, in the preparation of NPs. The most used method is green synthesis, whose most outstanding advantages, is the reduced preparation time, and the variety of results that can be obtained depending on the reaction times, pH, temperature, and concentration of both the bio-reducing agent and the compound or plant extract. Most of the studies focus on evaluating crude extracts with high polarity, such as aqueous, alcoholic, and hydroalcoholic extracts. In conclusion, exploring the use of organic compounds is considered an area of opportunity for further research and future perspectives. Most of the analyzed studies were conducted using in vitro assays, highlighting the relatively recent nature of this field. It is expected that future research will involve more in vivo assays, particularly focusing on isolated cell lines representing the most difficult-to-treat types of cancer, such as triple-negative breast cancer like MDA-MB-231. Notably the MCF-7 cell line is one of the most used, while limited studies were found concerning cervical cancer.

Can Asiatic Acid from Centella asiatica Be a Potential Remedy in Cancer Therapy?-A Review

Centella asiatica has been recognized for centuries in Eastern medicine for its pharmacological properties. Due to the increasing prevalence of oncological diseases worldwide, natural substances that could qualify as anticancer therapeutics are becoming increasingly important subjects of research. This review aims to find an innovative use for asiatic acid (AA) in the treatment or support of cancer therapy. It has been demonstrated that AA takes part in inhibiting phosphorylation, inducing cell death, and reducing tumor growth and metastasis by influencing important signaling pathways, such as PI3K, Akt, mTOR, p70S6K, and STAT3, in cancer cells. It is also worth mentioning the high importance of asiatic acid in reducing the expression of markers such as N-cadherin, β-catenin, claudin-1, and vimentin. Some studies have indicated the potential of asiatic acid to induce autophagy in cancer cells through changes in the levels of specific proteins such as LC3 and p62. It can also act as an anti-tumor immunotherapeutic agent, thanks to its inductive effect on Smad7 in combination with naringenin (an Smad3 inhibitor). It seems that asiatic acid may be a potential anticancer drug or form of adjunctive therapy. Further studies should take into account safety and toxicity issues, as well as limitations related to the pharmacokinetics of AA and its low oral bioavailability.

Synthesis and characterization of 4-nitro benzaldehyde with ZnO-based nanoparticles for biomedical applications

Globally, cancer is the leading cause of death and morbidity, and skin cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis. Skin problems can be treated with nanoparticles (NPs), particularly with zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs, which have antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. An antibacterial activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles prepared in the presence of 4-nitrobenzaldehyde (4NB) was also tested in the present study. In addition, the influence of synthesized NPs on cell apoptosis, cell viability, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, apoptosis, and cell adhesion was also examined. The synthesized 4-nitro benzaldehyde with ZnO (4NBZnO) NPs were confirmed via characterization techniques. 4NBZnO NPs showed superior antibacterial properties against the pathogens tested in antibacterial investigations. As a result of dose-based treatment with 4NBZnO NPs, cell viability, and MMP activity of melanoma cells (SK-MEL-3) cells were suppressed. A dose-dependent accumulation of ROS was observed in cells exposed to 4NBZnO NPs. As a result of exposure to 4NBZnO NPs in a dose-dependent manner, viable cells declined and apoptotic cells increased. This indicates that apoptotic cell death was higher. The cell adhesion test revealed that 4NBZnO NPs reduced cell adhesion and may promote apoptosis of cancer cells because of enhanced ROS levels.

Uncovering the Anti-Angiogenic Mechanisms of Centella asiatica via Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation

BACKGROUND

Centella asiatica (CA) has been used to address cancer for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Previous studies demonstrated its anti-angiogenesis efficacy, but the underlying mechanism of its action remains to be further clarified. This study aims to investigate the underlying mechanisms of CA and its triterpenes in anti-angiogenesis for cancer therapeutics through network pharmacology and experimental validation.

METHODS

Cytoscape was used to construct a network of compound-disease targets and protein-protein interactions (PPIs) from which core targets were identified. GO and KEGG analyses were performed using Metascape, and the AutoDock-Vina program was used to realize molecular docking for further verification. Then, VEGF165 was employed to establish an induced angiogenesis model. The anti-angiogenic effects of CA were evaluated through assays measuring cell proliferation, migration, and tubular structure formation.

RESULTS

Twenty-five active ingredients in CA had potential targets for anti-angiogenesis including madecassoside, asiaticoside, madecassic acid, asiatic acid, and asiaticoside B. In total, 138 potential targets for CA were identified, with 19 core targets, including STAT3, SRC, MAPK1, and AKT1. A KEGG analysis showed that CA is implicated in cancer-related pathways, specifically PD-1 and AGE-RAGE. Molecular docking verified that the active components of CA have good binding energy with the first four important targets of angiogenesis. In experimental validation, the extracts and triterpenes of CA improved VEGF165-induced angiogenesis by reducing the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results initially demonstrate the effective components and great anti-angiogenic activity of CA. Evidence of the satisfactory anti-angiogenic action of the extracts and triterpenes from CA was verified, suggesting CA's significant potential as a prospective agent for the therapy of cancer.

Piper chaba, an Indian spice plant extract, inhibits cell cycle G1/S phase transition and induces intrinsic apoptotic pathway in luminal breast cancer cells

Piper chaba (Piperaceae) is a medicinal spice plant that possesses several pharmacological activities. In the present study, we for the first time studied the effect of P. chaba extract on breast cancer cells. P. chaba stem methanolic (PCSM) extract produced time and dose dependent cytotoxicity in luminal breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and T47D) with a minimal toxicity in breast normal cells (MCF-10A) at 10-100 µg/mL concentration. PCSM extract exerts 16.79 and 31.21 µg/mL IC50 for T47D and MCF-7 cells, respectively, in 48 h treatment. PCSM significantly arrests the T47D cells at the G0/G1 phase by reducing the CCND1 and CDK4 expression at mRNA and protein levels. PCSM extract treatment significantly altered nuclear morphology, mitochondria membrane potential, and production of reactive oxygen species in T47D cells at IC50 concentration. Extract treatment significantly altered the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and altered caspase 8 and 3 mRNA/protein levels in T47D cells. Confocal microscopy showed an increase in late apoptosis in PCSM extract-treated breast cancer cells at IC50 . Further, an increased caspase 9 and caspase 3/7 enzymatic activity was observed in test cells compared with nontreated cells. In conclusion, P. chaba phytocompound possesses the potential to induce cell cycle arrest and induce apoptosis in luminal breast cancer cells.

Evaluation of the Anti-Carcinogenic Effect of Centella Asiatica on Oral Cancer Cell Line: In vitro Study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the anti-carcinogenic effect of Centella Asiatica on to evaluate the  Anti-Carcinogenic Effect of Centella Asiatica on Oral Cancer Cell Line oral cancer cell line.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

 Oral Cancer cell line and normal oral keratinocyte cell line were procured.Centella asiatica extract was prepared. The cells were then subjected to the test herbal specimens -Centella asiatica extract in succeeding concentrations of 25 µg/ml, 50 µg/ml, 100 µg/ml at time intervals of 24,48 and 72 hours. Cisplatin (2 µg/ml, 4 µg/ml, 6 µg/ml, 8 µg/ml) was used as a positive control. This experiment was done in triplets.

RESULTS

The study revealed that the p values were less than 0.05 at concentration 12.5µg/ml, 25µg/ml, 50 µg/ml,100 µg/ml and time period of 24hrs,48hrs,72hrs, thus implying that at these concentrations and time period, the obtained data were statistically significant, thus indicating that there is a statistically significantly decreases in the viable cells as the concentration of the drug as a time period increases The results reveals that  centella asiatica possess potential effect of anti-carcinogenic, effect when compared to positive control (Cisplatin).

CONCLUSION

The current study reveals that Centella asiatica has an potential anti-carcinogenic effect on oral cancer cell line. So this can be used to treat oral cancer with minimal crippling as compared with allopathic drugs.

Biogenic synthesis of gold nanoparticles using Satureja rechingeri Jamzad: a potential anticancer agent against cisplatin-resistant A2780CP ovarian cancer cells

Drug resistance of cancer cells is a major issue in cancer treatment. Plant-mediated nanoparticle synthesis has been applied in recent years to overcome this problem. In this study, the biogenic synthesis of AuNPs was explored using Satureja rechingeri Jamzad aqueous leaf extract, and their anticancer effects were evaluated in cisplatin-resistant A2780CP ovarian cancer cells. The chemical composition of S. rechingeri Jamzad was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The characteristics of green-synthesized AuNPs were confirmed using XRD, FTIR, UV-visible spectroscopy, TEM, SEM, EDX, DLS, and zeta potential. The cytotoxic effects of AuNPs and S. rechingeri Jamzad aqueous extract on cisplatin-resistant A2780CP ovarian cancer cells were evaluated by MTT assay and flow cytometry. Real-time PCR analyzed gene expression. The chemical composition revealed that carvacrol (89%) was the main component of the S. rechingeri Jamzad extract. The average size of the spherical biosynthesized AuNPs was 15.1 ± 3.7 nm. The AuNPs and plant extract inhibited the growth of cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The apoptotic cell death was confirmed by flow cytometry and DAPI staining. The proapoptotic genes were upregulated, while anti-apoptotic and metastatic genes were downregulated. According to the cell cycle analysis, cancer cells were arrested in the G0/G1 phase. Considering the anticancer activity of the synthesized AuNPs using S. rechingeri Jamzad and the low side effects of AuNPs on normal cells, these AuNPs showed strong potential for use as biological agents in drug-resistant cancer cells treatment.

Apoptotic effects of Phlomis armeniaca mediated biosynthesized silver nanoparticles in monolayer (2D) and spheroid (3D) cultures of human breast cancer cell lines

The purpose of current research was to assess the apoptotic effects of biofabrication silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) mediated by the aqueous extract of Phlomis armeniaca on human breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) in monolayer (2D) and spheroid (3D) cultures. The biosynthesized AgNPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometer (the peaks of resonances at 432 nm), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS). 1-20 µM/mL AgNPs were applied to MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines to determine IC50 values at 24, 48 and 72nd h and were found to be 10 µM/mL for both cell lines. Immunohistochemical staining results of BrdU, TUNEL, caspase-3 and Endo G in both 2D and 3D cultures and gene expression levels of caspases (caspase-3, -8 and -9) and Endo G were evaluated. Moreover, the total oxidant/antioxidant status (TOS-TAS) due to AgNPs application in both cell culture mediums was evaluated. AgNPs treatment results in both cell lines in both 2D and 3D cultures showed a significant decrease in the BrdU labeling index, while large amounts of cells were labelled with TUNEL and Endo G. In 2D culture, Endo G expression increased in MCF-7 cells at 48 and 72nd hours, while it increased significantly in MDA-MB-231 cells at all hours. OSI results show that ROS production is increased in cell medium treated with AgNPs. In conclusion, AgNPs mediated by Phlomis armeniaca, synthesized by a green method, successfully induced damage to mitochondria, resulting in cell cycle arrest and consequent cell proliferation blockade and death in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells.

High efficacy of tamoxifen-loaded L-lysine coated magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in cell cycle arrest and anti-cancer activity for breast cancer therapy

Introduction: Due to the side effects of drugs, the development of nanoscale drug delivery systems has led to a significant improvement in medicinal therapies due to drug pharmacokinetics changes, decreased toxicity, and increased half-life of the drug. This study aimed to synthesize tamoxifen (TMX)-loaded L-lysine coated magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as a nano-carrier to investigate its cytotoxic effects and anti-cancer properties against MCF-7 cancer cells.

Methods: Magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were synthesized and coated with L-lysine (F-Lys NPs). Then, TMX was loaded onto these NPs. The characteristics of synthesized nanoparticles (F-Lys-TMX NPs) were evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The drug release was analyzed at pH 5.8 and pH 7.4. The MCF-7 cells were exposed to F-Lys-TMX NPs, F-Lys NPs, and TMX for 24, 48, and 72 hours. To evaluate the cytotoxic potential of designed nanoparticles, MTT and apoptosis assays, real-time PCR, and cell cycle analysis was carried out.

Results: The F-Lys-TMX NPs had spherical morphology with a size ranging from 9 to 30 nm. By increasing the nanoparticles concentration and treatment time, more cell proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induction were observed in F-Lys-TMX NPs-treated cells compared to the TMX. The expression levels of ERBB2, cyclin D1, and cyclin E genes were down-regulated and expression levels of the caspase-3 and caspase-9 genes were up-regulated. Studies on the drug release revealed a slow and controlled pH-dependent release of the nanoparticles. Cell cycle analysis indicated that F-Lys-TMX NPs could arrest the cells at the G0/G1 phase.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that F-Lys-TMX NPs are more effective and have the potential for cell proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induction compared to the TMX. Hence, F-Lys-TMX NPs can be considered as an anti-cancer agent against MCF-7 breast cancer 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.

Review On Documented Medicinal Plants Used For The Treatment Of Cancer

Background:

Cancer is a frightful disease and it is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Naturally derived compounds are gaining interest of research workers as they have less toxic side effects as compared to currently used treatments such as chemotherapy. Plants are the pool of chemical compounds which provides a promising future for research on cancer.

Objective:

This review paper provides updated information gathered on medicinal plants and isolated phytoconstituents used as anticancer agents and summarises the plant extracts and their isolated chemical constituents exhibiting anticancer potential on clinical trials.

Methods:

An extensive bibliographic investigation was carried out by analysing worldwide established scientific databases like SCOPUS, PUBMED, SCIELO, ScienceDirect, Springerlink, Web of Science, Wiley, SciFinder and Google Scholar etc. In next few decades, herbal medicine may become a new epoch of medical system.

Results:

Many researches are going on medicinal plants for the treatment of cancer but it is a time to increase further experimental studies on plant extracts and their chemical constituents to find out their mechanism of action at molecular level.

Conclusion:

The article may help many researchers to start off further experimentation that might lead to the drugs for the cancer treatment.

Molecular docking and simulation studies of phytocompounds derived from Centella asiatica and Andrographis paniculata against hexokinase II as mitocan agents

Hexokinase II (HK2), a glycolytic enzyme is commonly overexpressed in most cancer types. The overexpression of HK2 is reported to promote the survival of cancer cells by facilitating the constant ATP generation and protecting the cancer cell against apoptotic cell death. Hence, HK2 is considered as potential target of many mitochondria targeting anticancerous agents (referred to as mitocans). Most of the existing mitocans are synthetic and hence such compounds are observed to exhibit adverse effects, witnessed through many experimental outcomes. These limitations necessitates hunting for an alternative source of mitocans with minimum/no side effects. The need for an alternative therapy points towards the ethnomedicinal herbs, known for their minimal side effects and effectiveness. Henceforth recent studies have put forth the effort to utilize anticancer herbs in formulating naturally derived mitocans as an add-on to improve cancer therapeutics. So, our study aims to explore the HK2 targeting potential of phytocompounds from the selected anticancerous herbs Andrographis paniculata (AP) and Centella asiatica (CA). 60 phytocompounds collectively from CA and AP were docked against HK2 and drug-likeness prediction of the selected phytocompounds was performed to screen the best possible ligand for HK2. Furthermore, the docked complexes were subjected to molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) to analyse the molecular mechanism of protein-ligand interactions. The results of the study suggest that the natural compounds asiatic acid and bayogenin (from CA) and andrographolide (from AP) can bepotential natural mitocans by targeting HK2. Further experimental studies (in-vitro and in-vivo) are required to validate the results.

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.

Therapeutic Potential of Centella asiatica and Its Triterpenes: A Review

Centella asiatica (also known as Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. or Gotu kola) is a traditional Chinese medicine with extensive medicinal value, which is commonly used in Southeast Asian countries. This study aimed to summarize the effects of C. asiatica and its main components on neurological diseases, endocrine diseases, skin diseases, cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, immune diseases, and gynecological diseases, as well as potential molecular mechanisms, to study the pathological mechanism of these diseases based on the changes at the molecular level. The results showed that C. asiatica and its triterpenoids had extensive beneficial effects on neurological and skin diseases, which were confirmed through clinical studies. They exhibited anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative stress, anti-apoptotic effects, and improvement in mitochondrial function. However, further clinical studies are urgently required due to the low level of evidence and lack of patients.

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.

HER-2 aptamer-targeted Ecoflex® nanoparticles loaded with docetaxel promote breast cancer cells apoptosis and anti-metastatic effect

Breast cancer is a major cause of cancer mortality. Regarding the advantages of polymeric nanoparticles as drug delivery systems with targeting potential, in this study the antitumor mechanism of targeted docetaxel polymeric nanoparticles of Ecoflex^® was exploited. Since the overexpression of HER-2 receptor in breast cancer cases is associated with poor prognosis and more aggressive disease, the proposed nanoparticles were conjugated to HER-2 specific aptamer molecules. In vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT assay. Flow-cytometry analysis was performed to evaluate the cellular uptake of nanoparticles loaded with a fluorescent probe. Anti-migration effects of samples were studied. Annexin IV-FITC and propidium iodide were implemented to investigate apoptosis induction and cell cycle analysis. Enhanced cytotoxicity compared with free docetaxel was explained considering improved cellular uptake of the nanoparticles and induced apoptosis in a larger portion of cells. Lower relative migration demonstrated enhanced anti-migration effect of nanoparticles, and cell cycle was arrested in G2/M phase using both formulations so the anti-microtubule mechanism of the drug was not altered. Therefore, this system could offer a potential substitute for the currently marketed docetaxel formulations, which may reduce adverse effects of the drug, while further in vivo and clinical investigations are required.

Green nanotechnology: a review on green synthesis of silver nanoparticles - an ecofriendly approach

Background: Nanotechnology explores a variety of promising approaches in the area of material sciences on a molecular level, and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are of leading interest in the present scenario. This review is a comprehensive contribution in the field of green synthesis, characterization, and biological activities of AgNPs using different biological sources. Methods: Biosynthesis of AgNPs can be accomplished by physical, chemical, and green synthesis; however, synthesis via biological precursors has shown remarkable outcomes. In available reported data, these entities are used as reducing agents where the synthesized NPs are characterized by ultraviolet-visible and Fourier-transform infrared spectra and X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Results: Modulation of metals to a nanoscale drastically changes their chemical, physical, and optical properties, and is exploited further via antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, antioxidant, and cardioprotective activities. Results showed excellent growth inhibition of the microorganism. Conclusion: Novel outcomes of green synthesis in the field of nanotechnology are appreciable where the synthesis and design of NPs have proven potential outcomes in diverse fields. The study of green synthesis can be extended to conduct the in silco and in vitro research to confirm these findings.