Metal nanoparticles have recently become increasingly important in biomedical and pharmaceutical research as alternative antimicrobial and anti-cancer agents. The most effective nanoparticles were made from noble metals, particularly silver, gold, and platinum. Among them, silver has been the most attractive due to its disinfecting nature and tremendous medicinal value. Silver nanoparticles are synthesized mainly by chemical, electrochemical, photochemical and biological methods. The biological methods of silver nanoparticles synthesis include the utilization of plant extracts and microorganisms.
Biogenic silver nanoparticles inhibit both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Inhibition of biofilm formation by biogenic silver nanoparticles has also been reported. However, the exact mechanism of bacterial growth inhibition has not been completely elucidated. Besides the antibacterial activity, some nanoparticles can inhibit the growth of fungi but the inhibitory mechanism is not yet known. Another important activity was observed for some biogenic silver nanoparticles is their anticancer effects. Several biogenic silver nanoparticles inhibited the growth of human breast, colorectal, lung, hepatocellular carcinoma and other types of cancer cells growth. More recently, it was also reported that biogenic silver nanoparticles inhibited human stem cancer cells growth. The mechanism of action of each nanoparticle against specific cancer cell lines was different. These include the production of reactive oxygen species, alteration of apoptosis and autophagy-related genes/proteins expression, different phases of cell cycle arrest, etc. A few studies have been done against normal human cell lines and the results revealed that biogenic silver nanoparticles were less toxic for normal cells than cancer cells.
Although several experiments on biogenic silver nanoparticles have been reported to date, many questions or problems remain unsolved. As the capping agent for each nanoparticle is different the resulting biological activity of the nanoparticles is also different. Several nanoparticles were synthesized but only a few were used to check the antimicrobial and anticancer activity. In most cases, the antibacterial activity of the synthesized biogenic silver nanoparticles was checked. However, the antifungal and anticancer activity in vitro was reported only for some cases, and the in vivo anticancer activity was stated only in very few cases. This Research Topic aims to publish recent research on antimicrobial and anticancer activities of the biogenic silver nanoparticles.
The topic editors encourage submissions of Original Research, Review and Mini Review articles on themes including, but not limited to:
• Silver nanoparticles/silver chloride nanoparticles synthesized from any bacteria, fungi, yeast and plant extracts/pure compound/protein.
• Full characterization of synthesized silver nanoparticles.
• The biological effects of the synthesized silver nanoparticles on any of the bacteria, fungi, yeast and human or animal cancer cells in vitro or in vivo.
Metal nanoparticles have recently become increasingly important in biomedical and pharmaceutical research as alternative antimicrobial and anti-cancer agents. The most effective nanoparticles were made from noble metals, particularly silver, gold, and platinum. Among them, silver has been the most attractive due to its disinfecting nature and tremendous medicinal value. Silver nanoparticles are synthesized mainly by chemical, electrochemical, photochemical and biological methods. The biological methods of silver nanoparticles synthesis include the utilization of plant extracts and microorganisms.
Biogenic silver nanoparticles inhibit both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Inhibition of biofilm formation by biogenic silver nanoparticles has also been reported. However, the exact mechanism of bacterial growth inhibition has not been completely elucidated. Besides the antibacterial activity, some nanoparticles can inhibit the growth of fungi but the inhibitory mechanism is not yet known. Another important activity was observed for some biogenic silver nanoparticles is their anticancer effects. Several biogenic silver nanoparticles inhibited the growth of human breast, colorectal, lung, hepatocellular carcinoma and other types of cancer cells growth. More recently, it was also reported that biogenic silver nanoparticles inhibited human stem cancer cells growth. The mechanism of action of each nanoparticle against specific cancer cell lines was different. These include the production of reactive oxygen species, alteration of apoptosis and autophagy-related genes/proteins expression, different phases of cell cycle arrest, etc. A few studies have been done against normal human cell lines and the results revealed that biogenic silver nanoparticles were less toxic for normal cells than cancer cells.
Although several experiments on biogenic silver nanoparticles have been reported to date, many questions or problems remain unsolved. As the capping agent for each nanoparticle is different the resulting biological activity of the nanoparticles is also different. Several nanoparticles were synthesized but only a few were used to check the antimicrobial and anticancer activity. In most cases, the antibacterial activity of the synthesized biogenic silver nanoparticles was checked. However, the antifungal and anticancer activity in vitro was reported only for some cases, and the in vivo anticancer activity was stated only in very few cases. This Research Topic aims to publish recent research on antimicrobial and anticancer activities of the biogenic silver nanoparticles.
The topic editors encourage submissions of Original Research, Review and Mini Review articles on themes including, but not limited to:
• Silver nanoparticles/silver chloride nanoparticles synthesized from any bacteria, fungi, yeast and plant extracts/pure compound/protein.
• Full characterization of synthesized silver nanoparticles.
• The biological effects of the synthesized silver nanoparticles on any of the bacteria, fungi, yeast and human or animal cancer cells in vitro or in vivo.
