Evaluation of antioxidant, antibacterial and anticancer effects of the Zinc oxide nanoparticles biosynthesized by Amaranthus cruentus L.

Nanoparticles are effective in treating the cancer disease due to their antioxidant, Antibacterial and the ability to produce toxicity in the cancer cells. This study aimed to evaluation of cytotoxic, antioxidant and antibacterial effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized by Amaranthus cruentus.

This study was performed in vitro. The cytotoxic effects of biosynthesized ZnO nanoparticles were evaluated against the cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and the normal cell line HUVEC by MTT assay. Also, antioxidant properties of these nanoparticles were evaluated by assays the DPPH and ABTS. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS software and one way ANOVA. Antibacterial activity was also evaluated by the disc diffusion method on the gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The result of MTT assay showed that IC50 was about 32µg/ml in 48 hours after treatment of the breast cancer cells by nanoparticles while the viability of the normal cell line was 94% in the similar concentration of nanoparticles. The results of the antioxidant test showed that nanoparticles at a concentration of 1000µg/ml were able to inhibit 50% of ABTS free radicals, but they exhibited a slight potential for DPPH free radicals inhibition. Also, they had an inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa growth.

The results showed that ZnO nanoparticles biosynthesized by Amaranthus cruentus can have antioxidant, antibacterial and anti- cancer activities.