Determination of cytotoxic, apoptotic and proinflammatory suppressive properties of Thymus kotschyanus var. glabrescens-silver nitrate (AGNO3) nanoparticles

The medical use of nanotechnologically synthesized plant-derived compounds and nanoparticles has gained considerable prominence. Through the use of plant-derived silver nanoparticles, the apoptotic mechanism can be induced in cancer cells, thereby suppressing cancer cell growth. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of silver nanoparticles synthesized with the aqueous extract (TKW) of Thymus kotschyanus var. glabrescens—a medicinal plant rich in phenolic and terpenoid compounds with diverse biological activities—on the inhibition of proliferation, morphological alterations, induction of apoptosis, and suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in lung cancer cells.To this end, following treatment with TKW-AgNPs, cancer cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay. In addition, morphological changes in A549 cells were examined with a phase-contrast inverted microscope. Induction of apoptosis was quantified by flow cytometry using an Annexin V/propidium iodide assay kit. Levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-8 were measured by ELISA. The chemical characterization of TKW-AgNPs was performed by FTIR, XRD, and SEM imaging.The results demonstrated that TKW-AgNPs reduced cancer cell viability and induced late apoptosis in A549 cells. In conclusion, TKW-AgNPs exhibited antiproliferative, pro-apoptotic,and pro-inflammatory marker-suppressing activities against lung cancer cells