Comparative Evaluation of Sinapis nigra-Derived Selenium and Silver Nanoparticles: Physicochemical Characterization, Antioxidant Activity and Anticancer Responses in Ovarian Cancer Cells

Abstract

Ovarian cancer remains a clinically challenging gynecological malignancy because many patients present with advanced disease and recurrent tumors may develop treatment resistance. Plant-mediated nanoparticle fabrication provides a route for generating multifunctional nanomaterials in which the inorganic core is associated with biologically active surface constituents. In the present study, selenium nanoparticles (MS-SeNPs) and silver nanoparticles (MS-AgNPs) were biofabricated using aqueous Sinapis nigra seed extract as a reducing, capping and stabilizing system, with ascorbic acid incorporated as an auxiliary reducing and stabilizing component. Successful formation was indicated by characteristic colour changes and supported by UV–Visible, FTIR, dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta-potential and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. MS-SeNPs displayed an absorption maximum at 262 nm, whereas MS-AgNPs showed a prominent surface-plasmon band at 427 nm. FTIR spectra indicated the contribution of hydroxyl, carbonyl, amide and sulfur-associated biomolecular groups to nanoparticle surface chemistry. MS-SeNPs exhibited a mean zeta potential of −69.9 mV, while MS-AgNPs showed +30.3 mV. XRD patterns were consistent with semicrystalline hexagonal selenium for MS-SeNPs and crystalline face-centered cubic silver for MS-AgNPs. Both nanoparticle systems demonstrated concentration-dependent DPPH, hydrogen-peroxide and nitric-oxide scavenging activities, with maximum responses of approximately 75%, 70% and 68%, respectively, for MS-SeNPs and approximately 74%, 68% and 64% for MS-AgNPs. In TOV112D ovarian cancer cells, both materials produced concentration-dependent cytotoxicity. MS-SeNPs showed an IC₅₀ of 32.76 μg/mL compared with 58.81 μg/mL for MS-AgNPs. Scratch assays further indicated stronger inhibition of cell migration by MS-SeNPs, while intracellular DCFH-DA fluorescence increased following nanoparticle exposure, suggesting altered cellular redox homeostasis. Taken together, the results indicate that plant-mediated MS-SeNPs and MS-AgNPs possess multifunctional biological activity, with MS-SeNPs showing comparatively stronger cytotoxic, anti-migratory and redox-modulating responses under the conditions tested. These findings support further investigation of biofabricated SeNPs as experimental nanotherapeutic candidates for ovarian cancer. However, the present evidence remains preclinical and in vitro; selectivity toward non-malignant cells, molecular mechanisms, pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, dose optimization and in vivo safety require systematic evaluation before translational consideration.