Elsholtzia ciliata Leaf Extract Mediated Silver Nanoparticles: Synthesis and their Antioxidant, Antidiabetic and Anticancer Activities

Abstract

This study deals with silver nanoparticle synthesis utilizing the leaf extract of the medicinal plant Elsholtzia ciliata and evaluated its antioxidant, antidiabetic and anticancer activities. The characterization of the synthesized E. ciliata silver nanoparticles (Ec-AgNPs) were done by using UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The formation of face-centred cubic silver nanocrystals was confirmed by XRD data. During the formation of Ec-AgNPs, the phytochemicals present in the leaf extract act as reducing and capping agents as confirmed by FTIR spectra. The zeta potential and polydispersity index values from DLS measurements were -16.4 mV and 0.261, respectively. The high content of flavonoids, phenols, tannins and coumarins was confirmed by the phytochemical studies of the plant extract. The antioxidant activity was shown by the synthesized Ec-AgNPs. The inhibition of carbohydrate digestive enzyme α-glucosidase with IC50 values of 29.32 ± 0.42 μg/mL was found for the biosynthesized silver nanoparticles. MTT assay was performed on A549, HCT116 and HeLa Cell lines for evaluation of the antiproliferative activities of the Ec-AgNPs and have shown IC50 values of 189 ± 8.7, 192.5 ± 0.5 and 51.7 ± 7.8 μg/mL in A549, HCT116 and HeLa Cell lines, respectively. These findings proved that the biosynthesized Ec-AgNPs had good antioxidant, antidiabetic and anticancer activities and hence can be a competent candidate for an antioxidant, antidiabetic and anticancer agents in the pharmaceutical sector.