Surfactant Mediated Synthesis of Noble Metal Nanoparticles and Their Cytotoxic Effects on Breast Cancer Cells.

The biomedical applications of the noble metal nanoparticles have been the field of interest, especially in cancer therapy. In this paper, the synthesis of spherical silver and gold nanoparticles and their apoptotic activity against breast cancer cells is reported. The chemicals reduction method is used to synthesize nanoparticles. Two different types of surfactants i.e., citrate and polyvinylpyrrolidone were used as a reducing and capping agent. The synthesized nanoparticles have been characterized using X-ray diffraction, ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential and transmission electron microscopy. The synthesized nanoparticles have crystalline phase with average size in the range of 25-30 nm and possess negative surface charge. In vitro studies of nanoparticles against breast cancer cells (MCF-7), were performed. The results show the significant cytotoxicity of nanoparticles against the cancer cell line and found to be mediated by DNA damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]