Green Synthesis and Characterisation of Silver Nanoparticles using Tuber Extract of Drynaria quercifolia (L.) J.Sm.: In vitro Cytotoxicity Activity against Human Liver Cancer (HepG2) Cells

Nanomedicine enables targeted drug delivery within the tumor microenvironment and shows considerable promise for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study investigates the phytoconstituents of Drynaria quercifolia, which are known for their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities. In addition, silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were synthesized from the tuber extract of D. quercifolia and their apoptotic and cytotoxic effects were evaluated. The results demonstrated that the high concentrations of phenols and flavonoids contribute significantly to antioxidant activity, with IC50 values of 223.70 µg/mL in the DPPH assay and 208.56 µg/mL in the ABTS+ assay, values that are comparable to the standard IC50. The formation of silver nanoparticles was confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy, which showed a characteristic absorption peak at 445 nm. FTIR spectroscopy indicated the presence of O–H functional groups, while SEM analysis revealed crystalline nanoparticles with an approximate size of 40 nm. Furthermore, cytotoxicity assays clearly demonstrated a dose-dependent decrease in the viability of HepG2 cells. Similar observations were obtained in apoptosis assays using Ag NPs.