Biogenic Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles from Alphonsea sclerocarpa Leaf Extract and Their Anticancer Activity Against K562 Cells

Alphonsea sclerocarpa Thwaites, a member of the family Annonaceae, is a small tree that grows up to 10–15 m in height, with simple and alternate leaves. Although known for its medicinal properties, the plant remains relatively underexplored. Therefore, the present research was undertaken to evaluate the anticancer potential of the ethanolic leaf extract of A. sclerocarpa. The extract was prepared using the Soxhlet extraction method and further analysed through TLC, HPLC, SEM, and TEM techniques. Cytotoxic activity was assessed using the MTT assay. Silver nanoparticles synthesized from the extract exhibited strong cytotoxic effects against malignant K562 cells, demonstrating significant growth inhibition, while showing minimal toxicity (less than 10% inhibition) in normal HEK293 cells.