title: Potential anticancer properties of bioactive compounds of Gymnema sylvestre and its biofunctionalized silver nanoparticles.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gymnema sylvestre is an ethno-pharmacologically important medicinal plant used in many polyherbal formulations for its potential health benefits. Silver nanoparticles (SNPs) were biofunctionalized using aqueous leaf extracts of G. sylvestre. The anticancer properties of the bioactive compounds and the biofunctionalized SNPs were compared using the HT29 human adenoma colon cancer cell line.
  
  
  METHODS
  The preliminary phytochemical screening for bioactive compounds from aqueous extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids, triterpenes, flavonoids, steroids, and saponins. Biofunctionalized SNPs were synthesized using silver nitrate and characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction for size and shape. The characterized biofunctionalized G. sylvestre were tested for its in vitro anticancer activity against HT29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The biofunctionlized G. sylvestre SNPs showed the surface plasmon resonance band at 430 nm. The scanning electron microscopy images showed the presence of spherical nanoparticles of various sizes, which were further determined using the Scherrer equation. In vitro cytotoxic activity of the biofunctionalized green-synthesized SNPs (GSNPs) indicated that the sensitivity of HT29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells for cytotoxic drugs is higher than that of Vero cell line for the same cytotoxic agents and also higher than the bioactive compound of the aqueous extract.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that the anticancer properties of the bioactive compounds of G. sylvestre can be enhanced through biofunctionalizing the SNPs using the bioactive compounds present in the plant extract without compromising their medicinal properties.
authors.affiliation: Center for Environmental Nuclear Research, SRM University, Potheri, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Kantha Deivi
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Arunachalam
authors.affiliation: Center for Environmental Nuclear Research, SRM University, Potheri, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Lilly Baptista
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Arun
authors.affiliation: Center for Environmental Nuclear Research, SRM University, Potheri, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Sathesh Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Annamalai
authors.affiliation: Division of Educational Services, Kaplan University (Medical), Washington DC, USA.
authors.forename: Aarrthy M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Arunachalam
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D031104:Gymnema sylvestre / Q000737:chemistry*; D019073:HT29 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012503:Saponins / Q000737:chemistry; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012835:Silver Nitrate / Q000737:chemistry; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000737:chemistry; D014709:Vero Cells; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012503:Saponins; D014315:Triterpenes; D012834:Silver; D012835:Silver Nitrate
keywords: Gymnema sylvestre; HT29 cell line; anticancer activity; biofunctionalized silver nanoparticles; gymnemic acid