Physicochemical Characterization and In Vitro Biological Activity of Silver Nanoparticles of Propolis Extract

Therapeutic use of nanoparticles has been increased during the past few decades due to unique combination of metals with natural products that add an advantage over the large-sized microparticles. Propolis, collected by honeybees is a resinous mixture with several medicinal properties. In this study, we synthesized silver nanoparticles of propolis extract and performed their physicochemical characterization and in vitro biological evaluation. The ability of synthesized silver nanoparticles of propolis extract to scavenge free radicals was evaluated using hydrogen peroxide assays, di-phenyl picryl hydrazyl hydrate, azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) assays. The MTT and comet assay in rat lymphocytes were performed for cytoprotective and genoprotective activity of silver nanoparticles of propolis extract against thioacetamide induced in vitro toxicity. The silver nanoparticles of propolis extract showed a particle size of 43 nm with a spherical shape as observed under electron microscopy and crystalline phase as observed by X-ray powder diffraction. The silver nanoparticles of propolis extract showed physicochemical properties useful for drug delivery, free radical scavenging, cytoprotective, and genoprotective activities.