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Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Thymoquinone and Evaluation of Their Radio-Sensitizing Activity

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Abstract

Delivering an optimum radiation dose to the target and preserving the surrounding normal tissues are the main tasks in radiation therapy. Latterly, there is a special interest in formulations of metallic-based nanoparticles to be used as radio-sensitizers. One of these silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been used for a wide range of biomedical applications depending on their surface modifications, size, and shape. This study aims to fabricate and characterize green synthesized silver nano-formulations using thymoquinone (TQ), as reducing and capping agent and assessment of their radio-sensitizing effect against the highly aggressive MDA-MB-231 mammary adenocarcinoma. AgNPs were prepared with different sizes by changing the amounts of added TQ. The prepared silver nano-formulations have been characterized using different physical techniques. The radio-sensitization efficacy of prepared AgNPs has been assessed using MTT cytotoxicity assay. Further assessment, neutral comet assay, was carried out to investigate the amount of DNA double-strand breaks which occurred due to AgNPs radio-sensitization. TEM micrograph revealed that as the amount of the added TQ increased from 10, 20, and 40 mg, the average size of prepared silver nanoparticles (AgNPs-20, AgNPs-15, and AgNPs-10) was gradually decreased to be 20 ± 1.5 nm, 15 ± 2 nm, and 10 ± 1.8 nm, respectively. This was confirmed by DLS measurements and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Comet and MTT assay results showed that AgNPs have a size and concentration-dependent radio-sensitization activity, whereas the radiation dose enhancement for small-sized nanoparticles (AgNPs-10) was greater than that of larger sized (AgNPs-20 and AgNPs-15). Therefore, thymoquinone capping silver nanoparticles represent a promising engineered nano-formulation for enhancing cancer radiosensitivity.

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  1. Biophysics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, 12613, Egypt

    Mohamed Mahmoud Fathy

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Fathy, M.M. Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Thymoquinone and Evaluation of Their Radio-Sensitizing Activity. BioNanoSci. 10, 260–266 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12668-019-00702-3

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