Cytotoxic, apoptotic, and necrotic effects of silver nanoparticles biosynthesized using Origanum majorana extract

Nanotechnology has gained great interest due to its widespread application. Anticancer activity of Origanum majorana extract and silver nanoparticles was investigated by MTT assay using human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines (Capan-1), mouse normal fibroblast cell lines (L929), and human colon adenocarcinoma cell line (Caco-2). AgNPs@Om exhibited the excellent cytotoxic effect on Capan-1 cell lines with the cell viability of 29.17% and 25.70%, 22.49%, 21.16% at 1.0, 0.5, 0.25, 0.125 µg/mL respectively. However, the extract was determined to show moderate activity. A considerable fall in the viable cell number in Caco-2 cell lines was observed after the treatment of AgNPs@Om. The viable cells of Caco-2 cell lines were detected as 32.0% at 1.0 µg/mL with the treatment of nanoparticles. Yet, the viable Caco-2 cells were determined as 48.2% with the treatment of O. majorana extract. Both extract and nanoparticles had no impact on the viability of non-tumor cells (L929). Moreover, nanoparticles induced apoptosis. Consequently, AgNPs@Om may be a promising anticancer drug candidate.