Exploring nanobiotechnology in controlling malaria and cancer

Abstract

Plants play an important role in balancing the nature. Green plants synthesize their own food giving off oxygen. Not only plants are the source of food, plant products provide wood and wood products, fibers, drugs, oils, latex, pigments, and resins. In present scenario the bio-compounds like flavinoids, terpenoids, reducing sugars etc present in plants are used in the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Silver nanoparticles play a vital role in drug delivery, diagnostics, imaging, sensing, gene delivery, artificial implants, and tissue engineering. AgNPs are also manufactured using chemical and physical processes, but these methods are costly and have negative impact on environment. Biologically synthesized AgNPs are eco-friendly, cost-effective and do not cause any anthropogenic effects. In the present study we biofabricated AgNPs using leaf extract of certain plants like Azadirachta indica, Callistemon citrinus, and lemongrass. The synthesis of AgNPs was confirmed by using spectral scan within the range of 300–700nm. Particle size and morphology of the AgNPs were studied with the help of Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The so formed particles were spherical in shape ranging from 40–50nm in case of Azadirachta indica, 80–90nm when made through Callistemon citrinus and 20–30nm in lemongrass respectively. These AgNPs were tested against malarial vector Anopheles stephensi and cancer cell lines HepG2. The results show that the synthesized AgNps were effective against malarial vector and cancer cells when exposed to AgNPs after 24hrs and 48hrs respectively. Hence biologically synthesized AgNPs can be potent in eradication of cancer and diseases spread through mosquito vectors.