Evaluation of anti-cancer effect of biosynthetic silver nanoparticles by Spirogyra sp. green algae extract on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line

Today, green synthesis by using plant extracts to produce nanoparticles has attracted a lot of attention, because of fast reaction, economy and compatibility with the environment. Therefore, in the present study, the anticancer effect of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles with aqueous and methanolic (80%) extracts of green algae Spirogyra sp. was investigated on MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. The GC-MS spectrometer chromatogram of the extract of this alga showed that Nonadecane (14.86%), Heneicosane (10.24%) and Tridecane, 6-phenyl (5.44%) have the highest percentage. Silver nanoparticles were synthesized by adding aqueous and methanolic extracts of algae to silver nitrate and their physical and chemical properties were determined by UV/Vis spectrophotometry, FTIR, DLS, Zeta potential and FESEM electron microscope. Also, the cellular toxicity of silver nanoparticles at different concentrations was investigated using the MTT method on cancer cells. The results showed that the synthesized silver nanoparticles had maximum absorption at the wavelength of 434nm and an average size of 30 to 79 nm with a spherical morphology. Cytotoxicity of biosynthetic silver nanoparticles against cancer cells has increased with increasing concentration. As a result, biosynthesized silver nanoparticles had anti-cancer activity and can be further studied for the treatment of breast cancer.