In vitro cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and AGS), antileishmanial and antibacterial activities of green synthesized silver nanoparticles using Scrophularia striata extract

Abstract The present study described a simple, facile and cost-effective method for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Scrophularia striata (S. striata) leaf extract (AgNPs@SSE). The influence of various reaction factors such as AgNO3 concentration, pH, contact time and temperature on size and morphology of products were studied. The synthesized AgNPs@SSE was characterized by FE-SEM, XRD, TEM, EDS and UV/Vis techniques. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of S. striata extract displayed the presence of some of the phenolic compound like ferulic acid which was an important factor for the stability of silver nanoparticles. The TEM and FE-SEM images showed homogeneous, spherical and small size of AgNPs@SSE (with a size about 25–40 nm). The antibacterial activity of synthesized AgNPs@SSE against seven gram-positive and gram-negative drug-resistant bacteria was evaluated using micro-broth dilution method. AgNPs@SSE displayed inhibitory activity against S. aureus, A. baumannii and E. coli compared to other bacteria with MIC value of 1.2, 2.35 and 2.35 μg/ml, respectively. In vitro cytotoxicity activity (MTT assay) was examined against cancer cell lines like human breast cancer (MCF-7), human gastric cancer (AGS) and fibroblast normal (HFF) cells. AgNPs@SSE (150 μg/ml) reduced the viability of cancer cells to 6.875% and 6.47% for AGS and MCF-7, respectively, while, maximum inhibition of cancer cells of HFF was about 33.1%. Furthermore, AgNPs@SSE was found to be active against leishmania parasites. It was found that AgNPs@SSE was active against leishmania parasites with IC50 value of 4.03 μg/ml and 2.49 μg/ml in promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes, respectively.