Characterization and Inhibitory Effects of Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized from Plant Extracts on HeLa Cells

Bernard Owusu Asimeng; Emmanuel Nyankson; Johnson Kwame Efavi; Amartey Nii Amarkai; Gloria Pokuaa Manu; Elvis Tiburu

doi:10.1155/2020/2630735

Characterization and Inhibitory Effects of Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized from Plant Extracts on HeLa Cells

Int J Biomater. 2020 Dec 10:2020:2630735. doi: 10.1155/2020/2630735. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Bernard Owusu Asimeng¹, Emmanuel Nyankson², Johnson Kwame Efavi², Amartey Nii Amarkai², Gloria Pokuaa Manu², Elvis Tiburu¹

Affiliations

¹ University of Ghana, School of Engineering Sciences, Department of Biomedical Engineering, P.O. Box LG 74, Accra, Ghana.
² University of Ghana, School of Engineering Sciences, Department of Materials Science & Engineering, P.O. Box LG 74, Accra, Ghana.

Abstract

Magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were synthesized from maize leaves and plantain peels extract mediators. Particles were characterized, and the inhibitory effects were studied on HeLa cells in vitro using cyclic voltammetry (CV). Voltammograms from the CV show that Fe₃O₄ NPs interaction with HeLa cells affected their electrochemical behavior. The nanoparticles formed with higher Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ molar ratio (2.8 : 1) resulted in smaller crystallite sizes compared to those formed with lower Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ molar ratio (1.4 : 1). The particles with the smallest crystallite size showed higher anodic peak currents, whereas the larger crystallite sizes resulted in lower anodic peak currents. The peak currents relate to cell inhibition and are confirmed by the half-maximum inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀). The findings show that the particles have a different inhibitory mechanism on HeLa cells ion transfer and are promising to be further exploited for cancer treatment.