Biosynthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles using anjbar (root of Persicaria bistorta) extract and their cytotoxic effects on human breast cancer cell line (MCF‐7)

Biosynthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) using biomass is now one of the best methods for synthesising NPs due to their nontoxic and biocompatibility. Plants are the best choice among all biomass to synthesise large‐scale NPs. The objectives of this study were to synthesise zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO‐NPs) using Anjbar (root of Persicaria bistorta) An/ZnO‐NPs] and investigate the cytotoxic and anti‐oxidant effects. For this purpose, the An/ZnO‐NPs were synthesised by using Bistort extract and characterised using UV–Visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope, field emission scanning electron microscope, x‐ray diffraction and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy. The cytotoxic effects of the An/ZnO‐NPs on MCF‐7 cells were followed by 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays at 24, 48, and 72 h. Nuclear morphology changed and apoptosis in cells was investigated using acridine orange/propodium iodide (AO/PI) staining and flow cytometry analysis. The pure biosynthesised ZnO‐NPs were spherical in shape and particles sizes ranged from 1 to 50 nm. Treated MCF‐7 cells with different concentrations of ZnO‐NPs inhibited cell viability in a time‐ and dose‐dependent manner with IC50 about 32 μg/ml after 48 h of incubation. In flow cytometry analysis the sub‐G1 population, which indicated apoptotic cells, increased from 12.6% at 0 μg/ml (control) to 92.8% at 60 μg/ml, 48 h after exposure. AO/PI staining showed that the treated cells displayed morphologic evidence of apoptosis, compared to untreated groups. Inspec keywords: cancer, cellular biophysics, toxicology, particle size, nanofabrication, X‐ray diffraction, nanomedicine, nanoparticles, ultraviolet spectra, scanning electron microscopy, visible spectra, transmission electron microscopy, patient treatment, field emission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectra, drug delivery systemsOther keywords: anjbar, cytotoxic effects, human breast cancer cell line, biomass, transmission electron microscope, field emission scanning electron microscope, Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, flow cytometry analysis, ZnO‐NPs inhibited cell viability, antioxidant effects, MCF‐7 cells, biosynthesised ZnO‐NP, biosynthesised ZnO‐NP, acridine orange‐propodium iodide staining, An‐ZnO‐NP, Persicaria bistorta, zinc oxide nanoparticle biosynthesis, 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide