Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) were synthesized by co-precipitation method with Commiphora berryi latex as stabilizing agent. The IONPS were coated with PEG2K and then loaded with silymarin drug. The synthesized IONPs, PEG2K and silymarin loaded nanoparticles were analyzed by FTIR, XRD, SEM and TEM techniques. The FTIR results indicated the coating of plant materials and the drug on the nanoparticles. The XRD results showed that the synthesized particles have a crystalline structure and controlled size of about 14.5 nm. Surface morphology of the iron oxide nanoparticles and drug loaded IONPs from SEM and TEM results show the cubic shaped particles with less agglomeration. The silymarin loaded IONPs were tested against liver and lung cancer cells by MTT assay and fluorescence microscopic analysis using various concentrations such as 10 μL, 25 μL and 50 μL. Results confirmed that the cell apoptosis was done by nucleus fragmentations. Further, the quantitative cell apoptosis was done by flow cytometric method. The results confirmed that the silymarin loaded IONPs disclosed excellent anticancer activity against lung cancer cells with 30.47% of post apoptotic cells over liver cancer cells with 30.27% post apoptosis.

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