Green Synthesis of Platinum and Palladium Nanoparticles Using <i>Peganum harmala</i> L. Seed Alkaloids: Biological and Computational Studies

Sherif Ashraf Fahmy; Iten M. Fawzy; Basma M. Saleh; Marwa Y. Issa; Udo Bakowsky; Hassan Mohamed El-Said Azzazy

doi:10.3390/nano11040965

Nanomaterials (Apr 2021)

Green Synthesis of Platinum and Palladium Nanoparticles Using <i>Peganum harmala</i> L. Seed Alkaloids: Biological and Computational Studies

Sherif Ashraf Fahmy,
Iten M. Fawzy,
Basma M. Saleh,
Marwa Y. Issa,
Udo Bakowsky,
Hassan Mohamed El-Said Azzazy

Affiliations

Sherif Ashraf Fahmy: Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences & Engineering, The American University in Cairo, AUC Avenue, P.O. Box 74, Cairo 11835, Egypt
Iten M. Fawzy: Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmaceutical Industries, Future University in Egypt, Cairo 12311, Egypt
Basma M. Saleh: Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences & Engineering, The American University in Cairo, AUC Avenue, P.O. Box 74, Cairo 11835, Egypt
Marwa Y. Issa: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Kasr El-Aini Street, Cairo 11562, Egypt
Udo Bakowsky: Department of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, University of Marburg, Robert-Koch-Str. 4, 35037 Marburg, Germany
Hassan Mohamed El-Said Azzazy: Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences & Engineering, The American University in Cairo, AUC Avenue, P.O. Box 74, Cairo 11835, Egypt

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11040965
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 11, no. 4
p. 965

Abstract

Read online

This study reports a facile and eco-friendly method for the green synthesis of platinum and palladium nanoparticles (Pt NPs and Pd NPs) using Peganum harmala seed alkaloid fraction. The ζ-potential of the synthesized Pt NPs, Pd NPs and Pt–Pd NPs were −11.2 ± 0.5, −9.7 ±1.2, and −12.7 ± 2.1 mV; respectively. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed the formation of spherical-shaped nanoparticles with smooth margins. The mean diameters of the synthesized Pt NPs, Pd NPs, and Pt–Pd NPs were determined using TEM analysis and were found to be 20.3 ± 1.9, 22.5 ± 5.7, and 33.5 ± 5.4 nm, respectively. The nanoparticles’ bioreduction was confirmed by ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and their organic contents were determined by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The Pt–Pd NPs mixture showed more pronounced antioxidant activity of 843.0 ± 60 μM Trolox equivalent (TE)/mg NPs compared to the individual Pt NPs (277.3 ± 13.5 μM TE/mg NPs) and Pd NPs (167.6 ± 4.8 μM TE/mg NPs). Furthermore, the Pt–Pd NPs exhibited significant cytotoxic activities against lung cancer (A549) and breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cells, IC50 of 8.8 and 3.6 µg/mL, respectively; as compared to Pt NPs (IC50 of 10.9 and 6.7 µg/mL, respectively) and Pd NPs (IC50 of 31 and 10.8 µg/mL, respectively and compared to carboplatin (IC50 of 23 and 9.5 µg/mL, respectively). Moreover, molecular docking studies were conducted to explore the possible anticancer and antioxidant mechanisms of the biogenic nanoparticles. Pt NPs, Pd NPs, and their mixture showed inhibitory activity against cysteine proteinase, which supports their high antitumor activity, but moderate antioxidant activity. In conclusion, Pd-Pt NPs mixture prepared using harmala seed alkaloid fraction showed potential as effective antineoplastic agents.

Published in Nanomaterials

ISSN: 2079-4991 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Chemistry
Website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/nanomaterials

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords