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Thrombosis occurs through the accumulation of platelets and the formation of a blood clot in the blood vessels, which is a life-threatening condition. Thrombolytic therapy based on nanomaterials is a life-saving developing approach that lyses and dissolves thrombus by different mechanisms. Bioengineering of nanosized metallic particles is an innovative approach to preparing metallic nanoparticles (NPs) employing biological resources, such as plant extracts, bacteria, fungi, and algae, as reducing and capping agents. Biogenic synthesis of metallic NPs is an environmentally sound and safe route for engineering NPs. The biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (SNPs) and gold nanoparticles (GNPs) is of great interest due to their unique physicochemical and biological performance. Further, among different applications of nanobiotechnology, the ability of biogenic metallic NPs, especially SNPs, and GNPs, to lyse blood clots has attracted enormous attention recently. However, the probable toxicity of NPs to red blood cells (RBCs) should be considered and addressed in medical usage. In this review, multiple studies are thoroughly discussed in which SNPs and/or GNPs were fabricated with various morphologies and sizes through green routes, and their thrombolytic and/or hemolytic activities were reviewed. Most of the studies indicated the significant thrombolytic performance of biosynthesized silver and gold particles. Furthermore, most of the studies reported dose-dependent hemolysis of these NPs. Further studies are required to validate the efficacy of SNPs and/or GNPs in clinics, and the other drawbacks of these NPs in the body should be addressed.

Hyperlipidemia is a metabolic disorder characterized by an imbalance in lipid and lipoprotein levels, which can contribute to the development of cardiovascular diseases. Despite the availability of current antihyperlipidemic medications, a significant number of individuals continue to experience the effects of this condition. Therefore, there is a need to explore innovative pharmaceuticals to address hyperlipidemia. The utilization of nanobiotechnological approaches, specifically materials ranging from 1 to 100 nm in size, has garnered considerable attention in the management of antihyperlipidemia. One potential innovative therapy involves the use of nanosized gold and silver particles synthesized using environmentally friendly methods. Animal research has yielded promising results regarding the impact of these biologically engineered nanostructures on serum lipid profiles. However, it is important to note that a comprehensive review discussing the efficacy of these biogenic nanostructures in antihyperlipidemic therapy is currently lacking. In this review, our objective is not only to provide an overview of recent advancements in the biosynthesis of nanomaterials, but also to present animal-based evidence supporting the effectiveness of environmentally fabricated colloidal gold and silver particles in antihyperlipidemic therapy. Our findings indicate that, in most studies, the administration of bioengineered nanosized gold and silver particles led to a significant reduction in triglyceride (TG), very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and total cholesterol levels, while concurrently increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. Despite the favorable performance of these nanomaterials in antihyperlipidemia management, further investigations are necessary to determine the optimal dosage and assess acute and chronic toxicity.

This study showed the anti-candida, biofilm inhibitory, antioxidant, anticoagulant, and thrombolytic properties of biogenic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) fabricated by using the supernatant of Penicillium fimorum (GenBank accession number OQ568180) isolated from soil. The biogenic AgNPs were characterized by using different analytical techniques. A sharp surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak of the colloidal AgNPs at 429.5 nm in the UV–vis spectrum confirmed the fabrication of nanosized silver particles. The broth microdilution assay confirmed the anti-candida properties of AgNPs with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 4 μg mL−1. In the next step, the protein and DNA leakage assays as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay were performed to evaluate the possible anti-candida mechanisms of AgNPs representing an increase in the total protein and DNA of supernatant along with a climb-up in ROS levels in AgNPs-treated samples. Flow cytometry also confirmed a dose-dependent cell death in the AgNPs-treated samples. Further studies also confirmed the biofilm inhibitory performance of AgNPs against Candia albicans. The AgNPs at the concentrations of MIC and 4*MIC inhibited 79.68 ± 14.38% and 83.57 ± 3.41% of biofilm formation in C. albicans, respectively. Moreover, this study showed that the intrinsic pathway may play a significant role in the anticoagulant properties of AgNPs. In addition, the AgNPs at the concentration of 500 μg mL−1, represented 49.27%, and 73.96 ± 2.59% thrombolytic and DPPH radical scavenging potential, respectively. Promising biological performance of AgNPs suggests these nanomaterials as a good candidate for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications.

The American Cancer Society estimated around 61,090 new cases of leukemia were diagnosed, and around 23,660 people died from this disease in the United States alone in 2021. Due to its burden on society, there is an unmet need to explore innovative approaches to overcome leukemia. Among different strategies that have been explored, nanotechnology appears to be a promising and effective approach for therapeutics. Specifically, biogenic silver and gold nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted significant attention for their antineoplastic activity toward leukemia cancer cells due to their unique physicochemical properties. Indeed, these nanostructures have emerged as useful approaches in anti-leukemic applications, either as carriers to enhance drug bioavailability and its targeted delivery to a specific organ or as a novel therapeutic agent. This review explores recent advances in green synthesized nanomaterials and their potential use against leukemia, especially focusing on silver (Ag) and gold (Au) nanostructures. In detail, we have reviewed various eco-friendly methods of bio-synthesized NPs, their analytical properties, and toxicity effects against leukemic models. This overview confirms the satisfactory potency of biogenic NPs toward leukemic cells and desirable safety profiles against human native cells, which opens a promising door toward commercializing these types of nontherapeutic agents if challenges involve clinical validations, reproducibility, and scalability could be resolved.

Objective(s): This study deals with mycosynthesis and characterization of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) using the Penicillium chrysogenum PTCC 5031 and evaluating their antibacterial activity. Materials and Methods: The formation of SeNPs was confirmed with the color change from pale yellow to orange. Tyndall effect also confirmed the formation of colloidal systems through the samples. The SeNPs were characterized using different analytical techniques including photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) analysis.Results: Our findings revealed that SeNPs were fairly uniformed with good monodispersity and the lesser aggregation of particles in pH value of 7 with the average hydrodynamic size of 24.65 nm, polydispersity index (PdI) of 0.392 and zeta potential of -34 mV. The SeNPs revealed antibacterial activity against gram positive bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes with the zone of inhibition (ZOI) of 10 and 13 mm, respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study provided a potential solution to the growing need for the development of cost-effective and eco-friendly ways of nanoparticle synthesis to overcome the microbial resistance and control the infectious diseases. However, further investigations are required to demonstrate the efficacy of SeNPs through in vivo models.

Objective(s): This study was aimed to investigate the synthesis of novel zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) using Solanum trilobatum leaf extract as the reducing and capping agents, called green synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (GS-ZnONPs). Materials and Methods: Chemically synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (CS-ZnONPs) were synthesized using precipitation method with zinc nitrates hexahydrate as reducing precursors. The synthesized GS- and CS-ZnONPs were examined and characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, respectively. Results: GS-ZnONPs exhibited a higher zone of inhibition of 28.6 mm, 27.63 mm, and 29.33 mm for Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, respectively compared to CS-ZnONPs. From the growth inhibition experiments with E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus, it was evident that GS-ZnONPs have exhibited higher growth inhibition as compared to CS-ZnONPs. The IC50 for CS-ZnONPs in MCF-7 cell line was found at 136.16 µg/mL and for GS-ZnONPs was found at 85.05 µg/mL. The proliferation of cancer cells were directly proportional to the concentration of NPs. As compared to CS-ZnONPs, GS-ZnONPs have exhibited higher cytotoxic effects on MCF-7 cell line. Conclusion: It was concluded that GS-ZnONPs represented much enhanced anticancer and antibacterial activity compared to CS-ZnONPs.

Nanoparticles are of highlighted interest in scientific research for a wide range of applications as they bridge the gap between atomic structures and bulk materials with unique physicochemical properties. This systematic review was aimed to study the current trends in biological mediated cancer research using biogenic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against hepatic cancer cell lines. For this purpose, the electronic databases including Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, ProQuest, Embase, and Web of Science were searched. Forty-six studies passed the eligibility assessments and entered into the current study. All of the studies stated the size distribution of biosynthesized AgNPs below 100 nm with different shapes. Whereas, most studies stated spherical morphology for biogenic AgNPs. Most of the studies (91.30%) represented significant anticancer activity of biogenic AgNPs toward hepatic cancer cell lines. The molecular mechanisms also showed the induction of intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and apoptosis through the biogenic AgNPs-treated hepatic cancer cells. The AgNPs-mediated induction of intracellular ROS overgeneration and ATP synthesis interruption disturb the mitochondria respiratory chain function resulting in the induction of mitochondrial pathway apoptosis. Overall, this systematic review provided strong preliminary evidence representing the efficacy of biogenic AgNPs to combat hepatic cancer cells through in vitro models.

Objective(s): Aluminium nitride (AlN) could be used in implantable biomedical sensor devices, for which cytotoxicity analysis is of utmost importance. Materials and Methods: AlN nanoparticles were synthesized using a simple and effective solvothermal method. The X-ray diffraction results revealed the cubic phase of AlN, and the field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis demonstrated the structural morphology of the synthesized materials. In addition, the cytotoxicity of the AlN nanoparticles was assessed against healthy (HEK-293, HUVEC, and MCF10A) and cancerous cell line (HeLa). The intensity of the reactive oxygen species was also measured to determine the induced oxidative stress in the treated cells. Results: The cytotoxicity analysis indicated that the AlN nanoparticles were nontoxic against the cancerous and normal cell lines. No significant changes were observed between the low doses of the AlN nanoparticles in the treated and control cells. However, morphological changes were detected by a phase contrast microscope, while insignificant changes were observed similar to the control cells. Conclusion: The findings of this study could lay the groundwork for the development of AlN nanoparticles for further biomedical applications.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has emerged as a fast-paced epidemic in late 2019 which is disrupting life-saving immunization services. SARS-CoV-2 is a highly transmissible virus and an infectious disease that has caused fear among people across the world. The worldwide emergence and rapid expansion of SARS-CoV-2 emphasizes the need for exploring innovative therapeutic approaches to combat SARS-CoV-2. The efficacy of some antiviral drugs such as remdesivir, favipiravir, umifenovir, etc., are still tested against SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, there is a large global effort to develop vaccines for the protection against COVID-19. Because vaccines seem the best solution to control the pandemic but time is required for its development, pre-clinical/clinical trials, approval from FDA and scale-up. The nano-based approach is another promising approach to combat COVID-19 owing to unique physicochemical properties of nanomaterials. Peptide based vaccines emerged as promising vaccine candidates for SARS-CoV-2. The study emphasizes the current therapeutic approaches against SARS-CoV-2 and some of the potential candidates for SARS-CoV-2 treatment which are still under clinical studies for their effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2. Overall, it is of high importance to mention that clinical trials are necessary for confirming promising drug candidates and effective vaccines and the safety profile of the new components must be evaluated before translation of in vitro studies for implementation in clinical use.

Cancer is one of the most common health problems responsible for outnumbered deaths worldwide. Nanomedicine plays an important role in developing alternative and more effective treatment strategies for cancer theranostics. However, the toxicity, high cost and nanoparticles (NPs) production complexity are some of the major issues that obstruct the use of existing nanomedicine. Recently, the green synthesis of biogenic NPs from plants and microbial sources has become an emerging field due to their safer, eco-friendly, simple, fast, energy efficient, low-cost and less toxic nature. Interestingly, NPs play a key role in diagnosis of tumor at the initial stage by allowing cellular visualization. Furthermore, prospective applications of green NPs include magnetically responsive drug delivery, anti-cancer activity, photo-thermal therapy and bio-imaging. The present review provides perspective on the use of anti-cancer green bionanomaterials with a focus on their present status and future prospects in the theranostics of cancer.

Biofabrication by using fungi is an exciting recent interest to develop an eco-friendly production of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) for pharmaceutical applications. This study aimed to synthesize and characterize gold (Au) and silver (Ag) NPs by using Penicillium simplisimum. The fungus was grown in fluid czapek dox broth on shaker at 28 ºC and 200 rpm for ten days. Then the supernatant was separated from the mycelia to convert HAuCl4 and AgNO3 solution into Au and Ag NPs separately. After 24 hours, synthesized Au and Ag NPs were characterized by using UV-Visible Spectroscopy as well as Photon Correlation spectroscopy (PCS) involves Polydispersity Index (PDI) and zeta potential. The UV-Visible Spectroscopy analysis revealed a plasmon bond peak around 533 nm and 400 nm suggesting formation of Au and Ag NPs, respectively. Furthermore, the PCS analysis showed an average diameter of 68 nm and 76 nm with PDI value of 0.2 and 0.23 for Au and Ag NPs, successively, which demonstrated that the nanoparticles formed with fairly well-defined dimensions and good monodispersity. Besides, a negative zeta potential were found for nanoparticles indicating their stability in the solution. The current approach suggests that the rapid synthesis of nanoparticles would be suitable for developing a green process for mass scale production. Besides, we believe that development of eco-friendly process for the formulation of metallic NPs is an important step in the field of application of nanotechnology and its optimization may make it a potential procedure for industrial production of NPs.

Background and objectives: Although studies have elucidated the significant biomedical potential of biogenic metallic nanoparticles (MNPs), it is very important to explore the hazards associated with the use of biogenic MNPs. Evidence indicates that genetic toxicity causes mutation, carcinogenesis, and cell death. Materials and Methods: Therefore, we systematically review original studies that investigated the genotoxic effect of biologically synthesized MNPs via in vitro and in vivo models. Articles were systematically collected by screening the literature published online in the following databases; Cochrane, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, ProQuest, and EBSCO. Results: Most of the studies were carried out on the MCF-7 cancer cell line and phytosynthesis was the general approach to MNP preparation in all studies. Fungi were the second most predominant resource applied for MNP synthesis. A total of 80.57% of the studies synthesized biogenic MNPs with sizes below 50 nm. The genotoxicity of Ag, Au, ZnO, TiO2, Se, Cu, Pt, Zn, Ag-Au, CdS, Fe3O4, Tb2O3, and Si-Ag NPs was evaluated. AgNPs, prepared in 68.79% of studies, and AuNPs, prepared in 12.76%, were the two most predominant biogenic MNPs synthesized and evaluated in the included articles. Conclusions: Although several studies reported the antigenotoxic influence of biogenic MNPs, most of them reported biogenic MNP genotoxicity at specific concentrations and with a dose or time dependence. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to systematically evaluate the genotoxicity of biologically synthesized MNPs and provide a valuable summary of genotoxicity data. In conclusion, our study implied that the genotoxicity of biologically synthesized MNPs varies case-by-case and highly dependent on the synthesis parameters, biological source, applied assay, etc. The gathered data are required for the translation of these nanoproducts from research laboratories to the clinical market.