Abstract

Nanotechnology holds promise for superior pharmacological effects in terms of targeted delivery and small size but still many aspects of its pharmacological effects still has to be uncovered for maximum utilization of this technology. Co-chemotherapy using nanotechnology can be a better option to fully exploit the advantages of drugs in clinical cases of cancer patients. Green synthesis of silver nanoparticle was carried out using chitosan as capping agent with ascorbic acid as the reducing agent. Fractionated pectin powder (FPP) a well known antimetastatic agent and biologically synthesized silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were used in this study as a nanocomposite i.e., FPP capped Ag NPs. FPP capped Ag NPs were characterized by TEM, FTIR, XRD, DLS and zeta potential to determine their size and stability. TEM analysis revealed that FPP capped Ag NPs had size ranged between 35-45nm with zeta potential -47 mV. The present study explored the positive role of FPP capped Ag NPs as an antitumor agent using Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cell line in vitro. FPP capped Ag NPs caused a significant (1.8 fold) reduction in the dose of the nanocomposite in attaining the IC50 value. Hence FPP capped Ag NPs proved to be a better candidate for cancer chemotherapy.