Potential anti-proliferative activity of AgNPs synthesized using M. longifolia in 4T1 cell line through ROS generation and cell membrane damage.

To overcome the problem of breast cancer, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized using Indian medicinal plant Madhuca longifolia could be explored as an alternative anticancer medicine. Synthesized AgNPs were studied their characteristics and their anti-proliferative property was investigated in breast cancer cell line (4T1). Based on zeta sizer analysis, the size of the AgNPs was 103.5 nm and potential -9.57 eV. Fe-SEM results showed particle size of 69.4-99.4 nm while TEM images indicated the particle size of 18-24 nm. In dose-dependent study, AgNPs showed 93% of anti-proliferative activity at 50 μg/ml whereas the methanolic extract of M. longifolia showed 80% activity only at 10-fold increased concentration (500 μg/ml). AgNPs exhibited higher level of cytotoxicity in breast cancer cell line than extract through cell wall degradation and ROS generation. Such effective AgNPs could be investigated further through in vivo models with a view to develop anticancer drug.