Silver nanoparticles (AGNPs) synthesis from clove extract and investigation of its anticancer activity

The intersection of nanotechnology and medical research has ignited a paradigm shift in the approach to cancer treatment. Nanoparticles, as versatile carriers of therapeutic agents, have garnered significant attention due to their unique physicochemical properties and their potential to revolutionize cancer therapy. Their ability to enhance drug delivery, improve targeting specificity, and modify cellular interactions has opened new avenues in the fight against cancer. Conventional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, often suffer from limitations, including off-target effects, poor bioavailability, and drug resistance. The aim of the study is to find an alternative method to treat cancer cells using nanotechnology and study the effect of nanoparticles on the activity of cancers. This study was conducted on 15 samples of a cell line derived from human alveolar cell carcinoma in the Centre of Biotechnological Research at Al-Nahrine university. In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using a plant extract and characterized using UV-Vis spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The AgNPs exhibited a size of approximately 73.96 nm and a face-centered cubic lattice structure. The cytotoxicity of the plant extract, AgNPs, and their combination was evaluated on human dermal fibroblast (HdFn) and A549 lung cancer cell lines. The plant extract showed a dose-dependent decrease in cell viability in both cell lines, with IC50 values of 154.0 μg/mL for HdFn and 15.39 μg/mL for A549. Similarly, the AgNPs alone exhibited a dose-dependent decrease in cell viability, with IC50 values of 333.4 μg/mL for HdFn and 80.63 μg/mL for A549. Furthermore, the combination of the plant extract and AgNPs resulted in a synergistic decrease in cell viability, with lower IC50 values of 236.0 μg/mL for HdFn and 112.9 μg/mL for A549. These findings suggest that the combination of the plant extract and AgNPs has a stronger cytotoxic effect compared to their individual components. The study also investigated the scavenging activity of the plant extract, AgNPs, and their combination on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. The combination exhibited the highest scavenging activity, followed by the plant extract and the AgNPs alone. This indicates that the combination has enhanced antioxidant properties, which may contribute to its cytotoxic effects. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of AgNPs synthesized using a plant extract as a promising cytotoxic agent against HdFn and A549 cell lines. The combination of the plant extract and AgNPs showed synergistic cytotoxicity and enhanced antioxidant activity. Further research is warranted to explore the underlying mechanisms and evaluate the therapeutic potential of these nanoparticles.