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. 2014 Dec 16:10:31-41.
doi: 10.2147/IJN.S71182. eCollection 2015.

Potential anticancer properties of bioactive compounds of Gymnema sylvestre and its biofunctionalized silver nanoparticles

Kantha Deivi Arunachalam  1 , Lilly Baptista Arun  1 , Sathesh Kumar Annamalai  1 , Aarrthy M Arunachalam  2
Affiliations

Potential anticancer properties of bioactive compounds of Gymnema sylvestre and its biofunctionalized silver nanoparticles

Kantha Deivi Arunachalam et al. Int J Nanomedicine. .

Abstract

Background: Gymnema sylvestre is an ethno-pharmacologically important medicinal plant used in many polyherbal formulations for its potential health benefits. Silver nanoparticles (SNPs) were biofunctionalized using aqueous leaf extracts of G. sylvestre. The anticancer properties of the bioactive compounds and the biofunctionalized SNPs were compared using the HT29 human adenoma colon cancer cell line.

Methods: The preliminary phytochemical screening for bioactive compounds from aqueous extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids, triterpenes, flavonoids, steroids, and saponins. Biofunctionalized SNPs were synthesized using silver nitrate and characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction for size and shape. The characterized biofunctionalized G. sylvestre were tested for its in vitro anticancer activity against HT29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells.

Results: The biofunctionlized G. sylvestre SNPs showed the surface plasmon resonance band at 430 nm. The scanning electron microscopy images showed the presence of spherical nanoparticles of various sizes, which were further determined using the Scherrer equation. In vitro cytotoxic activity of the biofunctionalized green-synthesized SNPs (GSNPs) indicated that the sensitivity of HT29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells for cytotoxic drugs is higher than that of Vero cell line for the same cytotoxic agents and also higher than the bioactive compound of the aqueous extract.

Conclusion: Our results show that the anticancer properties of the bioactive compounds of G. sylvestre can be enhanced through biofunctionalizing the SNPs using the bioactive compounds present in the plant extract without compromising their medicinal properties.

Keywords: Gymnema sylvestre; HT29 cell line; anticancer activity; biofunctionalized silver nanoparticles; gymnemic acid.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles. Notes: (A) silver nitrate solution; (B) green-synthesized silver nanoparticles in ruby red color after 30 minutes.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Time-dependent absorption spectra of silver nanoparticles after the bioreduction of silver in the aqueous extract of Gymnema sylvestre.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Scanning electron microscopic image of green silver nanoparticles synthesized by reduction of aqueous AgNO3 ions using aqueous extract of Gymnema sylvestre. Abbreviations: HV, high voltage; WD, working distance; mag, magnification; ETD, Everhart–Thornley detector.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Energy-dispersive X-ray spectrum of green silver nanoparticles.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectrum of green-synthesized silver nanoparticles along with the plant extract of Gymnema sylvestre (GS).
Figure 6
Figure 6
X-ray diffraction spectrum of green-synthesized silver nanoparticles.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Anticancer activity of the green-synthesized silver nanoparticles. Abbreviation: GS, Gymnema sylvestre.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Inverted microscopic image of HT29 (A) control cells, (B) Gymnema sylvestre-treated (85 μg/mL), (C) silver nanoparticle-treated (83 μg/mL), and (D) silver nanoparticle-treated (85 μg/mL) cells.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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