The effect of Clitoria ternatea L. flowers-derived silver nanoparticles on A549 and L-132 human cell lines and their antibacterial efficacy in Caenorhabditis elegans in vivo

Abstract

Clitoria ternatea L. flowers were used for the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (CT-AgNPs) with a focus on their anticancer and antimicrobial properties. The CT-AgNPs were characterized using a variety of techniques, including UV–Vis spectroscopy, XRD, EDX, TEM, FTIR, and DLS, revealing spherical, polycrystalline nanoparticles with an average size of 16 nm and excellent colloidal stability. Anticancer activity was assessed on A549 and L-132 cell lines, demonstrating a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect on A549 cells with an LC50 of 4.88 μg mL−1, while the CT-AgNPs exhibited no significant toxicity towards L-132 cells up to 30 μg mL−1. Additionally, the antibacterial potential of CT-AgNPs was evaluated using Caenorhabditis elegans survival assays, where they significantly reduced paralysis rates and improved nematode survival when exposed to pathogenic bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus) at concentrations of 20 and 40 μg mL−1. The results highlight the promising dual therapeutic potential of CT-AgNPs for both anticancer and antimicrobial applications, with future directions focusing on in vivo validation and exploration of their molecular mechanisms in higher biological systems.

Keywords

• Nanotechnology
• Clitoria ternatea
• Characterization
• C. elegans
• Paralysis assay