Green Synthesis and Characterization of Carboxymethyl Cellulose Fabricated Silver-Based Nanocomposite for Various Therapeutic Applications
Authors: Muhammad Arif Asghar
Muhammad Asif Asghar
Kamran Khan
Muhammad Harris Shoaib
Ahad Abdul Rehman
Rabia Ismail Yousuf
Mehrukh Zehravi
Muhammad Suleman Imtiaz
Journal: International Journal of Nanomedicine (2021)
Discipline: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
Keywords: Syzygium aromaticum; biological applications; carboxymethyl cellulose; green synthesis; silver nanoparticles.
Affiliations: Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan., Food and Feed Safety Laboratory, Food and Marine Resources Research Centre, PCSIR Laboratories Complex, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan., Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy for Girls, Prince Sattam Bin Abdul Aziz University, Al-Kharj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia., Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan., Department of Pharmaceutics, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan.

Abstract:  Purpose: The current study proposed the simple, eco-friendly and cost-effective synthesis of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) structured silver-based nanocomposite (CMC-AgNPs) using Syzygium aromaticum buds extract. Methods: The CMC-AgNPs were characterized by ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transmission infra-red (FTIR), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques. The synthesized nanocomposites were evaluated for their bactericidal kinetics, in-vivo anti-inflammatory, anti-leishmaniasis, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities using different in-vitro and in-vivo models. Results: The spherical shape nanocomposite of CMC-AgNPs was synthesized with the mean size range of 20-30 nm, and the average pore diameter is 18.2 nm while the mean zeta potential of -31.6 ± 3.64 mV. The highly significant (P &lt; 0.005) antibacterial activity was found against six bacterial strains with the ZIs of 24.6 to 27.9 mm. More drop counts were observed in Gram-negative strains after 10 min exposure with CMC-AgNPs. Significant damage in bacterial cell membrane was also observed in atomic force microscopy (AFM) after treated with CMC-AgNPs. Nanocomposite showed highly significant anti-inflammatory activity in cotton pellet induced granuloma model (Phase I) in rats with the mean inhibitions of 43.13% and 48.68% at the doses of 0.025 and 0.05 mg/kg, respectively, when compared to control. Reduction in rat paw edema (Phase II) was also highly significant (0.025 mg/kg; 42.39%; 0.05 mg/kg, 47.82%). At dose of 0.05 mg/kg, CMC-AgNPs caused highly significant decrease in leukocyte counts (922 ± 83), levels of CRP (8.4 ± 0.73 mg/mL), IL-1 (177.4 ± 21.3 pg/mL), IL-2 (83.7 ± 11.5 pg/mL), IL-6 (83.7 ± 11.5 pg/mL) and TNF-α (18.3 ± 5.3 pg/mL) as compared to control group. CMC-AgNPs produced highly effective anti-leishmaniasis activity with the viable Leishmania major counts decreased up to 36.7% within 24 h, and the IC50 was found to be 28.41 μg/mL. The potent DPPH radical scavenging potential was also observed for CMC-AgNPs with the IC50 value of 112 μg/mL. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity was assessed using HeLa cell lines with the LC50 of 108.2 μg/mL. Conclusion: The current findings demonstrate positive attributes of CMC fabricated AgNPs as a promising antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-leishmaniasis, and antioxidant agent with low cytotoxic potential. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 This is one of two papers in which SEM images of a single site were published, reportedly representing two different materials. The two papers were: Khotbehsara, M.M., Miyandehi, B.M., Naseri, F., Ozbakkaloglu, T., Jafari, F. and Mohseni, E., 2018. Effect of SnO2, ZrO2, and CaCO3 nanoparticles on water transport and durability properties of self-compacting mortar containing fly ash: Experimental observations and ANFIS predictions. Construction and Building Materials, 158, pp.823-834. Amjadi, R., Monazami, M., Mohseni, E., Azar Balgouri, H. and Ranjbar, M.M., 2017. Effectiveness of different recycled materials in self-compacting mortar. European Journal of Environmental and Civil Engineering, 21(12), pp.1485-1501. The duplication is shown in the figure below. Note that the scales appear to have been manipulated and that the scale bar in the first case reported a voltage and spot size of  15.0 kVx10.0 k whereas the second reported  20.0 kVx5.00k . ![file] ,