Antioxidant, Cytotoxic and Anti-choline Esterase Activity of Green Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized Using <i>Aspergillus austroafricanus</i> CGJ-B3 (Endophytic Fungus)

Abstract

Despite the use of a vast number of natural products in the synthesis of nanoparticles, many microorganisms, such as endophytic fungi, are still largely unexplored. In the present study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using the endophytic fungus Aspergillus austroafricanus CGJ-B3. AgNPs were characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). Antioxidant, cytotoxic, and anti-choline esterase activities were assessed using 1, 1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), 2, 3-Bis-(2-Methoxy-4-Nitro-5-Sulfophenyl)-2H-Tetrazolium-5- Carboxanilide (XTT), and microplate method respectively. AgNPs were spherical in shape and their sizes ranged from 2.00 to 51.34 nm. They showed significant antioxidant, cytotoxic and anti-choline esterase activity. Interestingly, AgNPs displayed substantial cytotoxic activity against cancer (MCF-7, A431, and HepG2) cell lines than noncancerous (HEK-293) cells. The results highlight their possible use of novel therapeutic agents against cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.