Biofabrication of silver nanoparticles using Praecitrullus fistulosus fruit extract exhibits in vitro antibacterial and anticancer activity

Abstract

The silver nanoparticles were synthesized using green mediated approach aided by the fruit of extract of Praecitrullus fistulosus to evaluate its biological properties. The synthesized silver nanoparticle (hereafter named as Pf@AgNPs) was characterized using UV–visible spectroscopy, FTIR, DLS, Zeta potential followed by TEM. The average size of the synthesized nanoparticles was found to be 24 nm. In this work, spherical morphology of the nanoparticles was identified by TEM with a range between 18 and 30 nm. The zeta potential of AgNPs was found to be −5.2 eV. The antibacterial activity of Pf@AgNPs was evaluated against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella flexineri and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration assay with proven activities. The dye degradation property of Pf@AgNPs was tested and effectively acts on Rhodamine compared to that of methylene blue and trypan blue dyes. Further, in vitro cytotoxic potential of Pf@AgNP's was tested against various human cancer cell lines using an MTT assay. Among tested cell lines, an A549 cells was found to be more sensitive and IC50 was found to be 23.45 ± 1.27 μg/mL. Further evaluation using clonogenic assay, scratch assay, DNA fragmentation, microscopy and western blot analysis supports the cytotoxic potential of Pf@AgNP's. Results showed that fragmented DNA and altered expression of Bax/Bcl2 protein ratio clearly indicated the activation of apoptosis in treated A549 cells. Further, angiosuppressive potential of Pf@AgNP's using CAM assay using in ovo model showed that significant decrease in the microvessel density indicating the angiosuppressive activity of Pf@AgNP's.