Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Jacobaea maritima and the Evaluation of Their Antibacterial and Anticancer Activities

Abstract

Much attention has been gained on green silver nanoparticles (green-AgNPs) in the medical field due to their remarkable effects against multi-drug resistant (MDR) microorganisms and targeted cancer treatment. In the current study, we demonstrated a simple and environment-friendly (i.e., green) AgNP synthesis utilizing Jacobaea maritima aqueous leaf extract. This leaf is well-known for its medicinal properties and acts as a reducing and stabilizing agent. Nanoparticle preparation with the desired size and shape was controlled by distinct parameters; for instance, temperature, extract concentration of salt, and pH. The characterization of biosynthesized AgNPs was performed by the UV-spectroscopy technique, dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier-transform infrared. The successful formation of AgNPs was confirmed by a surface plasmon resonance at 422 nm using UV-visible spectroscopy and color change observation with a particle size of 37± 10 nm and a zeta potential of -10.9 ± 2.3 mV. SEM further confirmed the spherical size and shape of AgNPs with a size varying from 28 to 52 nm. Antibacterial activity of the AgNPs was confirmed against all Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial reference and MDR strains that were used in different inhibitory rates, and the highest effect was on the E-coli reference strain (MIC = 25 μg/mL). The anticancer study of AgNPs exhibited an IC₅₀ of 1.37 μg/mL and 1.98 μg/mL against MCF-7 (breast cancer cells) and A549 (lung cancer cells), respectively. Therefore, this green synthesis of AgNPs could have a potential clinical application, and further in vivo study is required to assess their safety and efficacy.

Keywords: Jacobaea maritima; antibacterial; anticancer; green synthesis; silver nanoparticles.

Figure 1

The color of Jacobaea maritima extract (right) and biosynthesized AgNPs (left).

Figure 2

The UV absorbance peak of Jacobaea maritima leaf extract and biosynthesized AgNPs were shown at wavelengths of 323 nm and 422 nm (blue arrows), respectively.

Figure 3

SEM image at 37,000 magnifications showing the spherical shape of AgNPs and a size range between 28 nm and 52 nm.

Figure 4

FTIR spectra of Jacobaea maritima and biosynthesized AgNPs in the wavelength range of 4000–400 cm⁻¹ showing the functional groups within the extract responsible for a reduction in Ag⁺ to NPs. The blue arrows represent the distinctive peaks.

Figure 5

XRD of biosynthesized AgNPs confirms the crystalline nature of NPs.

Figure 6

Cell viability of biosynthesized AgNPs and Jacobaea maritima leaf extract on (A) MCF-7 and (B) A-549 after 24 h of exposure to the cells. These data are the MTS assay results, which are expressed as cellular viability (%) and presented as the mean ± SD (n = 3).

Figure 7

Jacobaea maritima leaves.