Green phytofabrication of silver nanoparticles from underexplored cypriot plant species with tunable antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticancer activities

Abstract

The chemical stability and biocompatibility of nanoparticles produced from plant extracts indicate medicinal implications, rendering them suitable candidates for antibacterial and antioxidant applications. This study aimed to synthesize AgNPs using A. andrachne and P. lentiscus leaf extracts and compare their antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer activities. This study presented the green synthesis of highly stable silver nanoparticles, measuring around 90.87 nm and 78.26 nm, derived from the extracts of Arbutus andrachne and Pistacia lentiscus, respectively. The surface compositional analysis of the synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was conducted using UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, zeta potential analysis, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis was conducted to separate and detect the chemical components of the plant extracts. The antimicrobial efficacy of AgNPs was demonstrated against Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis. Both samples showed significant cytotoxicity against a cancer cell line, with cell viability decreasing as AgNP concentration increased, and it was observed that A. andrachne AgNPs exhibited stronger cytotoxic effects than P. lentiscus AgNPs. Overall, the findings demonstrate the potential of A. andrachne and P. lentiscus extracts for the green synthesis of biologically active AgNPs.