Synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from Eriobotrya japonica seed and leaves and determination of their anticancer effect on colorectal cancer cells (HT29)

It is known that various extracts of Eriobotrya japonica Lindl. (E. japonica L.) (Loquat, Maltese plum) plant have many pharmacological effects. It has been determined that especially the rich contents in the fruit are effective on colorectal cancer. It is known that silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) obtained from plant extracts, also known as green synthesis, increase the biological activities of plants. Our study is the first study investigating the effects of extracts obtained from inconsumable organs such as leaves and seeds of E. japonica L. plant on colorectal cancer cell line (HT-29). Plant extracts were obtained from the leaves and seeds of E. japonica L. plant with different solvents (75% methanol, 75% ethanol and distilled water) and their total phenolic and total flavonoid contents were analyzed. AgNPs were synthesized at different concentrations (1 mM, 5 mM and 10 mM) from the extract with the most suitable content. AgNP synthesis was characterized by color change, UV-VIS, FTIR, SEM, XRD and Zeta potential methods. These extracts and AgNPs at different concentrations were applied to HT-29 cells for 24, 48 and 72 hours. Their cytotoxic effects on these cells were determined by MTT method and their migration effects by wound healing method. The highest phenolic and flavonoid contents in seed and leaf extracts were obtained with 75% ethanol. While the total phenolic contents in seed and leaf were 367.24 ± 0.038 and 1487.05 ± 0.017 mgGAE/100g, respectively, the total flavonoid amounts were 18.96 and 30.93 ± 0.001 mg/mL (QE), respectively. While peaks were obtained in the range of 430-450 nm in the UV-VIS spectroscopy graph of these AgNPs, it was determined that they were spherical and cubic in SEM images, and FTIR, XRD and zeta potential results were in accordance with the literature. The best cytotoxic effects of AgNPs in the HT-29 cell line were determined as IC50: 8.339 ug/L in the seed, while IC50: 0.05805 ug/mL in the leaf. According to the migration results, it was observed that 10 mM seed (19%) and 5 mM leaf AgNP (50%) had an inhibitory effect on wound healing.