Background The present study focused on a simple and eco-friendly method for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with multipurpose anticancer and antimicrobial activities. Materials and methods We studied a green synthesis route to produce AgNPs by using an aqueous extract of Pimpinella anisum seeds (3 mM). Their antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity on human neonatal skin stromal cells (hSSCs) and colon cancer cells (HT115) were assessed. Results A biophysical characterization of the synthesized AgNPs was realized: the morphology of AgNPs was determined by transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and ultraviolet-vis absorption spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscopy showed spherical shapes of AgNPs of P. anisum seed extracts with a 3.2 nm minimum diameter and average diameter ranging from 3.2 to 16 nm. X-ray powder diffraction highlighted the crystalline nature of the nanoparticles, ultraviolet-vis absorption spectroscopy was used to monitor their synthesis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed the main reducing groups from the seed extract. Energy dispersive spectroscopy was used to confirm the presence of elemental silver. We evaluated the antimicrobial potential of green-synthesized AgNPs against five infectious bacteria: Staphylococcus pyogenes (29213), Acinetobacter baumannii (4436), Klebsiella pneumoniae (G455), Salmonella typhi , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In addition, we focused on the toxicological effects of AgNPs against hSSC cells and HT115 cells by using in vitro proliferation tests and cell viability assays. Among the different tested concentrations of nanoparticles, doses < 10 µg showed few adverse effects on cell proliferation without variations in viability, whereas doses >10 µg led to increased cytotoxicity. Conclusion Overall, our results highlighted the capacity of P. anisum -synthesized AgNPs as novel and cheap bioreducing agents for eco-friendly nanosynthetical routes. The data confirm the multipurpose potential of plant-borne reducing and stabilizing agents in nanotechnology.

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To address the growing challenges from drug-resistant microbes and tumor incidence, approaches are being undertaken to phytosynthesize metal nanoparticles, particularly silver nanoparticles, to get remedial measure. In this study, an attempt has been made to utilize a major biowaste product, pomegranate fruit peel (Punica granatum), to synthesize silver nanoparticles. The silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using the aqueous extract of pomegranate peel. The formation of synthesized AgNPs was confirmed through UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) as well as through the change of the colorless aqueous solution to a dark brown solution. Using UV-Vis spectroscopy, the dark brown solution showed a Plasmon resonance band peak at 378 nm in UV-Vis spectroscopy after reacting for 24, 48, and 72 h. The XRD report revealed that the AgNPs had a cubic structure. The TEM and SEM report showed the nanoparticles were equally distributed in the solution, with a spherical shape and size ranging from 20 to 40 nm and with an average particle size of 26.95 nm. EDX imaging also confirmed the presence of AgNPs. The synthesized AgNPs were found to exhibit good antimicrobial effects on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, particularly the pathogens Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27584), Proteus vulgaris (ATCC 8427), Salmonella typhi (ATCC 14028), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213), Staphylococcus epidermidis (MTCC 3615), and Klebsiella pneumonia. The cytotoxic effects of AgNPs were also tested against a colon cancer cell line (RKO: ATCC® CRL-2577™), and it was observed that the viabilities were 56% and 61% on days 3 and 5, respectively, with exposure to 12.5 μg of AgNPs. This simple, economic, and eco-friendly method suggests that the AgNPs biosynthesized using pomegranate peel extract may be a novel, potent solution for the development of a drug for colon cancer that also has antibacterial activity.

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In this research we focused on the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Pimpinella anisum seed extract. Furthermore, we evaluated their cytotoxicity on colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines. Our results revealed the anti-cancerous cytotoxic potential of green synthesized AgNPs. Green synthesized AgNPs exhibited high cytotoxicity on colorectal adenocarcinoma CRC cells. They selectively killed cancer cells through suppression of proliferation, cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase, and induction of apoptosis. Interestingly, between the two different clones, SW620 cells were more sensitive than HCT8 cells. Overall, our findings suggest that AgNPs could be effective cancer chemotherapeutic agents or a combination nano-drug in future anti-cancer therapy