Synthesis, Characterization of Polyphenolic Flavonoid Silymarin Encapsulated Carbon Quantum Dots (SL-CQDs) and Its Anticancer, Antibacterial Potential in In Vitro

The objective of this study is to produce carbon quantum dots (CQDs) by utilizing banana peels and including silymarin (SL-CQDs) to improve their antibacterial capabilities and effectiveness against Human breast cancer (MCF-7) cells under laboratory conditions. The current research aims to synthesize highly fluorescent carbon dots and activated carbon from banana peels using a hydrothermal method, with a focus on reducing costs and avoiding environmental consequences. Carbon quantum dots, which are synthesized, possess exceptional biocompatibility and can serve as nano-carriers to enhance the accessibility of Polyphenolic flavonoid silymarin. Chemotherapeutics are essential in treating aggressive malignancies, but they have limitations such as a lack of selectivity and the development of multidrug resistance, which can result in the spread of cancer. Despite its promising features, the clinical research of silymarin is hindered by difficulties such as poor water solubility, adsorption, and instability. The antimicrobial efficacy of SL-CQDs was assessed against gram-negative bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. coli, as well as gram-positive bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. The SL-CQDs demonstrated antibacterial activity, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 2 µg/mL. When SL-CQDs were administered at an IC50 concentration of 18 µg/mL, the viability of MCF-7 cells decreased. The existence of apoptotic bodies suggests that the introduction of silymarin induces a specific form of cellular demise. SL-CQDs possess notable antibacterial activities and efficiently suppress the proliferation of breast cancer cells. Our recent analysis suggests that SL-CQDs have the potential to be advantageous in the effective therapeutic treatment of Human pathogens and breast cancer cells.