The present study investigated the biomedical potential of eco-friendly Citrullus colocynthis-mediated silver nanoparticles (Cc-AgNPs). The antibacterial efficacy of Cc-AgNPs was evaluated against two multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacterial strains, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antiproliferative and antilipidemic performance of the prepared particles was determined against the MCF7 cell line, a breast cancer cell line. The in vitro antibacterial assay revealed that Cc-AgNPs induced dose-dependent bactericidal activity, as a considerable increase in the zone of inhibition (ZOI) was noted at higher concentrations. Reduced proliferation, migration, spheroid size, and colony formation exhibited the substantial antiproliferative potential of Cc-AgNPs against MCF7 cells. Significant alterations in the expression of cell surface markers, apoptosis, and cell proliferation genes further confirmed the antiproliferative impact of Cc-AgNPs. Moreover, Cc-AgNPs exhibited antilipidemic activity by reducing cellular cholesterol and triglyceride levels and regulating key genes involved in lipogenesis. In conclusion, these results propose that Cc-AgNPs can be employed as a potent tool for future antibacterial and anticancer applications.
Keywords: Citrullus colocynthis; antibacterial activity; anticancer activity; green synthesis; human breast cancer cell line (MCF7); silver nanoparticles.