Green Synthesis and Anti-Cancer Properties of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles Using Pistachio Vera Pericarp Essential Oil

Abstract

In recent years, researchers have shown great interest in metal oxide nanoparticles for their possible use in medicine. The purpose of this investigation was to develop a simple and environmentally friendly method for producing cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) using pistachio Vera Pericarp essential oil (PVEO) as a coating. It was measured the anti-cancer properties of these nanoparticles and their combined effects with zoledronic acid on human prostate (LNCap) and breast cancer cells (MCf7). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD) were employed to examine the characteristics of the CeO2 NPs. SEM and XRD analyses confirmed the nanoparticles' size, shape, phase, and chemical composition. Biological tests demonstrated that the CeO2 NPs showed significant cytotoxic activity against LNCap and MCf7 cells, CeO2 NPs alone or with ZA reduced LNCaP and Mcf-7 cell viability. The CeO2 NPs effectively influenced cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration by modulating the expression of apoptosis-related genes (BCL-2 and BAX), as indicated by real-time PCR results. The study also discovered that when combined with ZA, PVEO had a synergistic effect on LNCap and MCf7 cell lines. Overall, the study suggests that CeO2 NPs derived from PVEO have the potential to be a new therapeutic agent for prostate and breast cancers.