RESUMEN

Cadmium Oxide nanoparticles have the lowest toxicity when compared to nanoparticles of other semiconductors and they are not detrimental to human and mammalian cells, thereby making them candidates for targeting cancer cells. Synadenium cupulare plant extracts were used to synthesize CdO/CdCO3 nanocomposite using cadmium nitrate tetrahydrate 98% as a precursor salt. The resultant nanoparticles were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet visible spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The nanoparticles were then screened for effect on breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA MB-231) and Vero cell line to determine their growth inhibition effect. Cytotoxicity effect was evaluated using 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. XRD showed the peaks of monteponite CdO and otavite CdCO3 nanoparticles. TEM results showed irregular and spherical particles of varying sizes, whilst SEM revealed a non-uniform morphology. FTIR results showed peaks of functional groups which are present in some of the phytochemical compounds found in S. cupulare, and point to the presence of CdO. Annealed CdO/CdCO3 NPs showed selectivity for MCF7 and MDA MB231 in comparison to Vero cell line, thereby supporting the hypothesis that cadmium oxide nanoparticles inhibit growth of cancerous cells more than non-cancerous cells.

Asunto(s)

Neoplasias de la Mama/tratamiento farmacológico , Nanocompuestos/química , Nanocompuestos/uso terapéutico , Puntos Cuánticos/química , Puntos Cuánticos/uso terapéutico , Animales , Neoplasias de la Mama/patología , Cadmio/química , Compuestos de Cadmio/química , Carbonatos/química , Línea Celular Tumoral , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Chlorocebus aethiops , Femenino , Humanos , Células MCF-7 , Magnoliopsida/química , Microscopía Electrónica de Rastreo , Microscopía Electrónica de Transmisión , Nanocompuestos/ultraestructura , Óxidos/química , Espectroscopía de Fotoelectrones , Extractos Vegetales/química , Puntos Cuánticos/ultraestructura , Espectroscopía Infrarroja por Transformada de Fourier , Células Vero , Difracción de Rayos X

RESUMEN

AIMS: Medicinal plants play an important role in our African communities for treatment and prevention of various diseases including cancer. This study was aimed on evaluating the cytotoxicity activities of Asparagus laricinus Burch. and Senecio asperulus DC. MAIN METHODS: In vitro cytotoxicity screening was carried out using fluorescent cellular stains on human prostate cancer (PC3), human breast cancer (MCF-7) and the non-cancerous African green monkey kidney (Vero) cell lines. The cells were imaged with the ImageXpress Micro XLS Widefield fluorescent Microscope, and the acquired images were analysed using the MetaXpress software and the Multi-Wavelength cell scoring application module. Melphalan was used as a positive control in all experiments. KEY FINDINGS: Asparagus laricinus methanol and Senecio asperulus DC. dichloromethane extracts exhibited cytotoxicity activity against breast cancer cells with IC50 values of 97.6 µg/mL and 69.15 µg/mL, respectively. Cell cycle analysis suggested that Asparagus laricinus methanol extract induced cell death selectively through apoptosis observed from Annexin V-FITC and PI stain. Cell cycle analysis also showed that Senecio asperulus DC. dichloromethane extracts induced breast cancer cells death through cell arrest at the synthesis phase and G2 phase. Senecio asperulus DC. dichloromethane extracts further showed cytotoxicity activity against prostate cancer cells with IC50 values of 69.25 µg/mL due to cell arrest at the G2 and early mitotic (G2/M) phase. SIGNIFICANCE: We, therefore, propose that the methanol extract of Asparagus laricinus is a suitable aspirant for future breast cancer chemotherapeutic drug, due to its selective cytotoxicity on cancer cells and not on non-cancerous cells.