Biological synthesis of silver nanoparticles using extracts from Citrullus colocynthis and their anticancer activity

Background: Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using plant extract has emerged as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional chemical methods, offering potential biomedical applications, particularly in cancer therapy. Objectives: This study aimed to synthesize AgNPs from extracts of Citrullus colocynthis leaves, stems and seeds and to evaluate their cytotoxic effects against selected cancer cell lines. Methods: AgNPs were biosynthesized using plant extract and characterized using standard analytic techniques. The cytotoxic activity of the synthesized nanoparticles was assessed against A549, HCT116 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. Results: the biosynthesis of AgNPs demonstrated significant anti-cancer activity, with leaf-derived AgNPs showing the strongest cytotoxic effect. Notably, to our knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate leave-derived AgNPs against A549 cells. Conclusion: the findings highlight a novel, targeted and environmentally friendly approach for synthesizing AgNPs with promising anti-cancer potential while eliminating the use of toxic chemical agents.