Development and Characterization of a Guar Gum Bionanocomposite Loaded with Biogenic Selenium Nanoparticles and Its Cytotoxic Evaluation

Conventional chemotherapies for cervical cancer, such as cisplatin (CDDP)-based treatments, are limited by high systemic toxicity and the development of cellular resistance. To address these drawbacks, this study reports the green synthesis of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) using Amphipterygium glaucum leaf extract (AGLE) and the development of a guar gum-based nanocomposite (SeNPs@GG) loaded with these NPs. The synthesized SeNPs showed a stable UV–Vis absorption band at 275 nm, a spherical morphology, and sizes ranging from 11 to 21 nm, as confirmed by TEM. FTIR and XPS analyses demonstrated interactions between Se and functional groups from the plant extract, indicating its dual role as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The guar gum nanocomposites (NCs) exhibited a porous structure with a homogeneous distribution of SeNPs, as evidenced by SEM and EDS. At the same time, XRD confirmed the crystalline nature of the SeNPs. In vitro cytotoxicity assays using HeLa cervical cancer cells revealed significant antiproliferative effects with a biphasic response related to Se’s dual biological role. The IC50 values were 98.3 µg/mL for SeNPs, 93.7 µg/mL for SeNPs@GG1, and 93.5 µg/mL for SeNPs@GG2. Additional analyses confirmed apoptosis, DNA fragmentation, ROS production, mitochondrial dysfunction, and G2/M cell cycle arrest, supporting the potential of these systems as alternative chemotherapeutic strategies.