Biosynthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles from Datura inoxia and its apoptotic effect on human breast cancer cell line MCF7

The present study demonstrates the efficacy of Datura inoxia for biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The aqueous extract obtained from the leaves of D. inoxia was mixed with AgNO3 and incubated for the synthesis of AgNPs. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV-visible, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The toxicity of AgNPs was evaluated using cell viability, nuclear fragmentation and cell cycle. Our results showed that biosynthesized AgNPs inhibited proliferation of human breast cancer cell line MCF7 with an IC50 of 20 µg/ml at 24 h incubation. These results suggest that AgNPs may exert its antiproliferative effect on MCF7 cell line by suppressing its growth, arresting the cell cycle phases, reducing DNA synthesis and inducing apoptosis.