Eco-friendly synthesis of CUO-Ag nanoparticles using Mentha Longifolia and their anticancer efficacy in breast and gastric cancer cells

Breast and gastric cancers continue to pose significant global health challenges due to the limitations of existing therapies. Anticancer effect of biometallic copper oxide-silver nanoparticles (Ag-CuO-NPs) synthesized via a green method using Mentha longifolia ( M. longifolia ) extract on MCF-7 (breast) and AGS (gastric) cancer cell lines was aimed. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. MTT assay, necrotic quantification, as well as measurement of intracellular nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were done. Additionally, RT-PCR was used to evaluate the apoptotic gene expression levels of Bax , Bcl2 , P53 , and Caspase-3 . The synthesized Ag-CuO-NPs showed a spherical shape and sizes between 50 and 90-nm. DLS analysis resulted in an average size of 111.2 nm with PDI 0.284. EDX, FTIR, UV-Vis. XRD confirmed the elemental composition (Ag/Cu/O), surface functional groups, and crystalline structure of the nanoparticles. Flow cytometry showed exposures to Ag-CuO-NPs resulted in 24.4 % and 20.8 % late apoptosis and 6.63 % and 6.88 % necrosis for MCF-7 and AGS cells, respectively, compared to extract-treated groups. Up-regulation for Bax , Caspase-3 , and P53 and down-regulation of the Bcl2 in NPs treated cells compared to the extract alone were detected. Both NO and ROS levels increased significantly in NPs treated cells compared to extract alone. Our findings demonstrate that M. longifolia -mediated Ag-CuO-NPs effectively induce apoptosis through oxidative stress signaling and represent a promising natural, dual-metal-based therapeutic strategy for breast and gastric cancers.