Cytotoxic and genotoxic properties of silver nanoparticles synthesized by ethanolic extract of Salacia chinensis

In this study, in vitro and in vivo methods were used to evaluate the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity properties of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) made from a crude ethanolic extract of Salacia chinensis. The test Ag-NPs had no cytotoxicity on the fibroblast cell line at a concentration of 100 mu g/mL, according to the MTT assay results. The Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line treated with varied concentrations of test Ag-NPs, with a maximum concentration of 200 mu g/mL, did not exhibit any appreciable genotoxic activity, either by comparing the results with positive controls of genotoxicity caused by Methyl methane sulfonate and Benzo (a) pyrene at the con-centration of 20 mu g/mL, the lack of genotoxicity was established. An in vivo study in Swiss albino mice using various concentrations (250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg) of test Ag-NPs, which were compared with positive controls, further confirmed this in vitro result pattern. Contrary to the genotoxicity caused by the positive control, mouse bone marrow micronucleus testing findings revealed the absence of genotoxicity. These findings imply that at the measured doses, the Ag-NPs produced from the crude ethanolic extract of Salacia chinensis do not exhibit any cytotoxicity or genotoxicity.

Automated summary

In this study, the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity properties of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) made from a crude ethanolic extract of Salacia chinensis were evaluated using in vitro and in vivo methods. The results showed that the test Ag-NPs did not exhibit cytotoxicity on fibroblast cell line and genotoxic activity on CHO cell line. The in vivo study in Swiss albino mice further confirmed the lack of genotoxicity of the Ag-NPs.