Antineoplastic and Cytotoxic Evaluation of Green AgNPs and Crude Extracts from Agave americana, Mentha spicata, and Mangifera indica Leaves

Abstract

Green silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and crude ethanolic, methanolic, aqueous, and acetonic extracts from leaves of Agave americana, Mentha spicata, and Mangifera indica were scrutinized for possible antineoplastic and cytotoxic efficacy. In this study, all the synthesized AgNPs were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, SEM (scanning electron microscopy), TEM (transmission electron microscopy), EDX-spectroscopy, and simultaneous thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA). Results of various characterization analyses performed in this study revealed that synthesized AgNPs had the highest absorption at 410-430 nm, polycrystalline structure with sizes ranging from 23 to 38 nm, and were thermally stable up to 350°C. Furthermore, it was manifested that phytoproduced AgNPs from A. americana revealed good antineoplastic activity (69%). M. indica- and M. spicata-based AgNPs displayed moderate activity against PC-3 (prostate cancer cell line). Similarly, good cytotoxic aptitude was demonstrated by A. americana- and M. indica-based AgNPs at the highest sample concentration (1000 μL). Excellent cytotoxicity was revealed by ethanol (100%), methanol (100%), and aqueous extracts (100%) of A. americana and methanol extract (83%) of M. spicata at 1000 μL.