Unveiling the potentials of biocompatible silver nanoparticles on human lung carcinoma A549 cells and Helicobacter pylori

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are gaining importance in health and environment. This study synthesized AgNPs using the bark extract of a plant, Toxicodendron vernicifluum (Tv) as confirmed by a absorption peak at 420 nm corresponding to the Plasmon resonance of AgNPs. The AgNPs were spherical, oval-shaped with size range of 2–40 nm as evident by field emission transmission electron microscopy (FE-TEM) and particle size analysis (PSA). The particles formed were crystalline by the presence of (111), (220) and (200) planes, as revealed by X ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The presence of amine, amide, phenolic, and alcoholic aromatics derived from Tv extract was found to be capping and or reducing agents as evident by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra. The Tv-AgNPs were observed to be biocompatible to chick embryonic and NIH3T3 cells at various concentrations. Interestingly, Tv-AgNPs at the concentration of 320 µg. mL(−1) induced 82.5% of cell death in human lung cancer, A549 cells and further 95% of cell death with annexin V FITC/PI based apoptosis. The Tv-AgNPs selectively targeted and damaged the cancer cells through ROS generation. The Tv-AgNPs displayed minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 8.12 µg.mL(−1) and 18.14 µg.mL(−1) against STEC and H. pylori respectively. This multi-potent property of Tv-AgNPs was due to shape and size specific property that facilitated easy penetration into the bacterial and cancer cells for targeted therapy.