Green Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles Derived from Bauhinia variegata: Exploring Anticancer Activity against Breast Cancer

Abstract

Objective

Cancer nanobiotechnology has the potential to redesign the techniques of cancer detection, diagnosis, and treatment. This study is aimed to synthesize stable silver nanoparticles using the bioreduction method. Using the biological materials to make metal nanoparticles has a lot of potential and is environmentally safe. Silver nanoparticles (SNPs) will be synthesised using Bauhinia variegata bark extract. It will be studied whether synthesized SNPs could be used as a natural medication.

Method 

Silver nanoparticles are formed by incubating boiling bark extract of the plant Bauhinia variegata with the boiling solution of silver nitrate (AgNO₃).The SNPswere characterised by UV-Visible spectrophotometer, SEM, TEM, XRD, and FTIR. The anti microbial activity was studied using Disc diffusion method. The free radical scavenging activity was examined using DPHH assay. In vitro cytotoxicity of the SNPs was evaluated against MCF7 liver cell line at different concentrations.

Results

A change in color from pale yellow to reddish-brown and a strong peak at 450 nm under UV spectral analysis confirmed the formation of SNPs. In this, the plant extracts act as the reducing agent for the reduction of Ag+ to Ag0. FTIR analysis indicated the functional groups responsible for the formation of SNPs. Results obtained from Transmission Electron Microscopic(TEM) studies indicated that the formed SNPs were of 20nm.The antibacterial activities of the formed SNPs proved to be more effective against E.faecali. The Free Radical Scavenging Activity and the preliminary anti-cancerous activity was checked and cell viability was found to be 10% at 500μg/ml. The viability of MCF7 cells was likewise seen to decrease as the sample concentration increased.

Conclusion: The SNPs showed potent cytotoxic activity against MCF7 cell line. The IC50 value was studied as 500μg/ml at which the cell viability was recorded as 10 %. It was also observed that with increasing concentration of the sample, the viability of MCF7 cells decreased. This study demonstrates that SNPs derived from bauhinia variegata bark extract can be a useful therapeutic herb in treating cancer.