Journal of Nanomedicine & Nanotechnology

Abstract

Biosynthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles using Catharanthus roseus Leaf Extract and its Proliferative Effects on Cancer Cell Lines

Ghozali SZ, Vuanghao L and Ahmad NH*

Green synthesis is one of the most rapid, reliable, and best routes for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Previous studies demonstrated that active compounds in Catharanthus roseus were responsible for bioreduction during the synthesis of spherical AgNPs. In the present study, synthesis of AgNPs using C. roseus aqueous extract was optimized. To prepare the extract, dried C. roseus leaves were boiled at 100°C for 5 min or soaked in a water bath at 40°C for 24 h. The extracts at concentrations of 10% and 20% were mixed with AgNO3 solutions of 1 and 5 mM. The resulting AgNPs were characterized by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Cell proliferation of Jurkat (human acute T-cell leukemia) and HT-29 (human colorectal adenocarcinoma) cell lines in solutions containing synthesized AgNPs or C. roseus aqueous extract was measured by the MTS [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2- yl)-5-(3-carbonxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium/phenazine metho sulfate] assay using the double dilution approach (concentrations ranging from 3.91 to 1000 μg/ml). UV-Vis spectra analysis indicated that the AgNPs at 5 mM AgNO3 + 10% extract produced the highest surface Plasmon resonance peak at approximately 500 nm. The XRD analysis confirmed the presence of AgNPs with a face-centered cubic structure. TEM analysis showed that the AgNPs ranged in size from 20 to 50 nm with spherical shapes. Based on the MTS assay, the IC50 values of AgNPs ranged from 13.68 to 46.88 μg/ml for both cancer cell lines, whereas the IC50 values of C. roseus aqueous extract ranged from 62.50 to 312.50 μg/ml for the Jurkat cell line and no IC50 values for HT-29 cell lines. Further studies should be conducted to validate the potential application of AgNPs as anti-cancer agents.