Viburnum nervosum Leaf Extract Mediated Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles: A Viable Approach to Increase the Efficacy of an Anticancer Drug

Background:: There is an urgent need to devise improved alternatives for the efficient delivery of drugs to develop improved therapeutic interventions against cancers. Nanotechnology based drug delivery vehicles are in-use with obvious issues of toxicity and bio-distribution. Therefore, green synthetic routes are being deployed to replace the conventional nanoparticle formulations for effective drug delivery aiming at developing interventional strategies against cancer. Objective:: A simple, viable and fast approach was used for the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using aqueous leaf-extract of Viburnum nervosum (VN) and to explore the anti-cancer potential of the crude extract of VN. Methods:: Silver NPs were synthesized by reacting silver nitrate (AgNO3) with leaf extract of VN. Various analytical techniques were used to characterize the AgNPs. Finally, the anti-cancer potential of VN was observed when delivered through AgNPs. Results:: The surface plasmon spectra for AgNPs exhibited absorbance peak at 445 nm, and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy investigation revealed presence of biomolecules acting as an effective reducing and capping agent for converting silver nitrate to AgNPs. Further, our results suggest the spherical size of synthesized AgNPs ranging from 12-17 nm. Moreover, in vitro studies conducted for VN extract with breast (MCF-7) and epidermal carcinoma (A431) cells showed biocompatibility. Conclusion:: Doxorubicin loaded AgNPs documented an increased bioavailability of drug compared to the free drug, suggesting the use of AgNPs as “novel drug delivery vectors”.