Phytofabrication of biomolecule-coated metallic silver nanoparticles using leaf extracts of in vitro-raised bamboo species and its anticancer activity against human PC3 cell lines

The present study describes the biosynthesis of metallic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from silver ions using in vitro-grown leaf samples of Bambusa arundinacea (Ba) and Bambusa nutans (Bn) and their anticancer activity against human prostatic cancer cell lines (PC3). The metallic AgNPs were synthesized at room temperature by treating the leaf extracts of Bambusa arundinacea and Bambusa nutans with 2 mM silver nitrate using the boiled method. The characterization of synthesized BaAgNPs and BnAgNPs was performed using UV-Vis spectrum (absorption peak at 365 nm), FTIR, TEM (spherical shape), SEM (size of 30–90 nm), and EDX analysis. Cell viability assays were carried out to determine the cytotoxicity effect of AgNPs on the PC3 cancer cell line and the Vero normal cell line. The IC50 values for BaAgNP- and BnAgNP-treated PC3 cancer cells were found to be 73.57 μg/mL and 84.88 μg/mL while the values for treated Vero cells were found to be 93.58 μg/mL and 96.41 μg/mL, respectively. The percentages of the apoptotic bodies by AO/EtBr staining were found to be 76% and 62% for BaAgNPs and BnAgNPs, respectively. The results strongly suggest that synthesized BaAgNPs show potential anticancer activity against human PC3 cell lines compared to BnAgNPs.