Synergistic Effects of Green Nanoparticles on Antitumor Drug Efficacy in Hepatocellular Cancer

Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and despite significant advances in treatment plans and drug development, survival prospects are still low, and treatment side effects are life altering. This article examines plant-derived extracts and their therapeutic potential against various types of hepatocellular carcinoma as a means of inducing fewer side effects compared to existing treatments. The focus is on the in vitro synergistic effect of silver bio-nanoparticles obtained from Clematis vitalba, Melissa officinalis, and Taraxacum officinale extracts (Clematis vitalbae extractum—CVE, Melissae extractum—ME, Taraxaci extractum—TE), alongside important drugs employed in liver cancer treatments (sunitinib—SNTB and imatinib—IMTB), and their effect on HepG2 cell lines (human hepatocellular carcinoma) and normal HUVEC cell lines (human umbilical vein endothelial cells). The nanoparticles (AgNPs) were characterized in terms of their dimensions, maximum absorption, and stability in solutions using techniques such as UV-Vis, DLS, zeta potential, and SEM. Meanwhile, antitumor effect was determined based on the viability of the HepG2 cells after 24 and 48 hours of treatment with each extract, mixtures of extracts with nanoparticles, and combinations of the extracts with antitumor drugs. Tests were repeated on the HUVEC cell line to determine normal cell toxicity. M. officinalis-derived silver nanoparticles (ME AgNPs) and the Clematis vitalba extract with silver nanoparticles (CVE AgNPs) significantly reduced HepG2 cell viability, enhancing efficacy when combined with conventional therapies (SNTB + ME AgNPs 1:1 vs SNTB: 20.01% vs 25.73% (p = 0.002), IMTB + ME AgNPs 1:1 vs IMTB: 17.80% vs 18.08% (p = 0.036); SNTB + CVE AgNPs 1:1 vs SNTB: 18.73% vs 25.73% (p = 0.000), SNTB + CVE AgNPs 1:2 vs SNTB: 26.62% vs 41.00% (p = 0.018), IMTB + CVE AgNPs 1:1 vs IMTB: 12.99% vs 18.08% (p = 0.001)). In contrast, the Taraxacum extract showed comparable cytotoxicity to its silver nanoparticles but did not exceed the efficacy of the extract alone after 24 hours. Of the three extracts, CVE demonstrated the most potent antitumor effect, resulting in an increase in the anticancer efficacy of the synthetic drug with remarkable therapeutic benefits in the fight against cancer. The findings of this study highlight the promising potential of plant-derived silver bio-nanoparticles to enhance the efficacy of conventional liver cancer treatments, paving the way for future research into more effective and less toxic therapeutic options.