Phytomediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Lepidium Sativum L. and their antifungal and cytotoxic potential

Abstract

Bio-inspired synthesis of nanoparticles has received immense attention recently due to their vast applications in the biomedical field. Herein, a facile process using aqueous extracts of Lepidium sativum was used for the synthesis of nanosilver. The phytosynthesized silver nanoparticles showed characteristic silver surface plasmon absorption peaks at 420 and 440 nm for nanoparticles synthesized by Lepidium sativum seeds and leaves, respectively. Moreover, the spherical, non-aggregated nanoparticles exhibited a particle size of 150 nm and a zetapotential of -15.2 mv countering 111 nm and a zeta potential of -20 mv for those phytosynthesized by Lepidium sativum seeds and leave aqueous extract correspondingly. Both phytofabricated silver nanoparticles exhibited a potential antifungal effect against Candida albicans with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 1.75 and 2.08 ppm and a promising cytotoxic effect against MCF-7 breast cancer cell line with an IC­50 of 20.1 and 9.3 ppm for nanosilver phytosynthesized by seeds and leaves extracts respectively. The current work provided a simple, environmentally friendly approach for the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles with a potential anticandidal and cytotoxic action against the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. However, more investigation is required to clarify their safety and precise mode of action.