Phyto-Facilitated Bimetallic ZnFe2O4 Nanoparticles via Boswellia carteri: Synthesis, Characterization, and Anti-Cancer Activity

Abstract

Background: The growing dissatisfaction with the available traditional chemotherapeutic agents has enhanced the need to develop new methods for obtaining materials with more effective and safe anti-cancer properties. Over the past few years, the usage of metallic nanoparticles has been a target for researchers of different scientific and commercial fields due to their tiny sizes, environment-friendly properties, and a wide range of applications. To overcome the obstacles of traditional physical and chemical methods for the synthesis of such nanoparticles, a new, less expensive, and eco-friendly method has been adopted using natural existing organisms as a reducing agent to mediate the synthesis of the desired metallic nanoparticles from their precursors, a process called green biosynthesis of nanoparticles.

Objective: In the present study, zinc-iron bimetallic nanoparticles (ZnFe₂O₄) were synthesized via an aqueous extract of Boswellia carteri resin mixed with zinc acetate and iron chloride precursors, and they were tested for their anticancer activity.

Methods: Various analytic methods were applied for the characterization of the phyto synthesized ZnFe₂O₄, and they were tested for their anticancer activity against MDA-MB-231, K562, MCF-7 cancer cell lines, and normal fibroblasts.

Results: Our results demonstrate the synthesis of cubic structured bimetallic nanoparticles ZnFe₂O₄ with an average diameter of 10.54 nm. MTT cytotoxicity assay demonstrates that our phyto-synthesized ZnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles exhibited a selective and potent anticancer activity against K562 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines with IC50 values 4.53 μM and 4.19 μM, respectively.

Conclusion: In conclusion, our biosynthesized ZnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles show a promising, environmentally friendly, and low coast chemotherapeutic approach against selective cancers with a predicted low adverse side effect toward normal cells. Further, in vivo, advanced animal research should be done to execute their applicability in living organisms.

Keywords: Boswellia carteri; K562; ZnFe2O4; cancer; green-biosynthesis; nanoparticles.