Phyto-Decoration of Selenium Nanoparticles Using Moringa peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori Aqueous Extract: Chemical Characterization and Bioactivity Evaluation

Abstract

Selenium is an important trace element as a part of the seleno-proteins, which regulate the oxidative status of the body and is required for the normal physiological reaction. Biogenic synthesis of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) using plant extracts is recommended over microorganisms or chemical reactions. Herein, SeNPs were synthesized using Moringa peregrina leaves extract (MPM-SeNPs). The purified nanoparticles were chemically characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyses. The biological activity of MPM-SeNPs was evaluated by testing their antibacterial and antioxidant activities. Their anti-proliferative effect against breast cancer and normal fibroblast cell lines was also investigated. The highest absorption of biogenic MPM-SeNPs is 279 nm, and FT-IR analysis indicated peaks shifting and bending according to phenols, polysaccharides, and protein moieties. The Se-element made up 73.2 percent of the nanoparticles sample; they are agglomerated spheres with smooth surfaces and negative electric charges on their surfaces, with a diameter range of 80-150 nm. MPM-SeNPs revealed antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria with MIC values of 20-50 µg/mL and radical scavenging potential at IC50 23.6±0.2 µg/mL and 25.6±1.7 µg/mL in DPPH and ABTS assays, respectively. Moreover, the nanoparticles exhibited cytotoxic activity against breast cancer cell lines with an IC50 value of 129.4±4.4 µg/mL. MPM-SeNPs might have a potential role in the green synthesis of chemotherapeutic drugs and could be used as a natural agent in the food and pharmaceutical industries.