en Bionanotechnology Bionanotechnology مقاله پژوهشی Original Research Article <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">Background & Objectives:</span></span></span></span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black"> <i>Heracleum persicum </i>(Persian hogweed) is traditionally utilized as a spice in Iran and is rich in diverse phytochemicals including flavonoids, alkaloids, furanocoumarins, and volatile oils. This study was aimed to exploit these metabolites for the biosynthesis of silver nanostructures (AgNPs) and to evaluate their cytotoxicity against malignant human MCF-7 breast cancer cells. This approach highlights the novelty of using <i>H. persicum</i> fruit extract as a natural reducing and capping agent, which has not been previously reported for biomedical nanoparticle applications.<span style="background:white"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="background:white"><span style="line-height:115%"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">Materials & Methods:</span></span></span></span></span></b> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">AgNPs were synthesized using aqueous fruit extract under varying conditions and optimized for maximum yield. The nanostructures were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, TEM, XRD, DLS, and zeta potential analysis to explore their morphology, size distribution, and stability. In addition, their anti-proliferative activity against MCF-7 cells was determined using the MTT assay.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">Results: </span></span></span></span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">The optimum synthesis conditions were identified as a 1:1 ratio of fruit extract to 3 mM silver nitrate solution. Characterization confirmed spherical nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 60&ndash;600 nm. Biological evaluation using MTT assay demonstrated potent inhibition of MCF-7 cell proliferation, with IC₅₀ values of 10.42 &mu;g/mL at 24 h and 8.92 &mu;g/mL at 48 h, indicating strong cytotoxicity even at low concentrations.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">Conclusion:</span></span></span></span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black"> This study introduces a simple, easy, rapid, eco-friendly, and nontoxic protocol for the biosynthesis of AgNPs using <i>H. persicum</i> fruit extract. The novelty lies in employing a culturally significant plant as a green synthesis agent, yielding nanoparticles with promising cytotoxicity for future nanomedicine applications.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> &nbsp; Cytotoxic, Green synthesis, MTT, Silver Nanoparticles, Heracleum persicum. 40 40 http://journal.zums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-3329-3&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Ali Sharafi sharafi.a@gmail.com 5200319475328460090348 5200319475328460090348 No Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Research Center, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Somayyeh Sadighian somayeh932@yahoo.com 5200319475328460090349 5200319475328460090349 No Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Banafsheh Raeisi alisharafi@zums.ac.ir 5200319475328460090350 5200319475328460090350 No Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Zahra Gharari ahraghrr112@gmail.com 5200319475328460090351 5200319475328460090351 No Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Alireza Yazdinezhad yazd1387@gmail.com 5200319475328460090352 5200319475328460090352 Yes Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran