Selenium nanoparticles synthesized with an aqueous extract of the plant Crataegus songarica showed antifungal, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic activity in a new laboratory study, with particle sizes averaging 83 nanometers and strong colloidal stability.
Researchers used the plant extract as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent to produce the nanoparticles through a green synthesis route, avoiding the harsh chemical reagents often employed in conventional nanoparticle preparation. The formation of selenium nanoparticles was confirmed by UV-Vis spectroscopy, which showed a distinct peak at 377 nanometers, a signature of surface plasmon resonance in the particles.
A suite of characterization techniques, including FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX and dynamic light scattering, confirmed successful synthesis. The particles averaged 83 ± 1.01 nanometers in size, and their stability was indicated by a high negative zeta potential of −52.43 millivolts, a value that generally reflects strong electrostatic repulsion between particles and low tendency to aggregate.
The biological evaluation covered several assay types. In antimicrobial testing, the selenium nanoparticles showed potent activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Trichophyton rubrum, Cryptococcus neoformans and Aspergillus niger, with performance the authors describe as comparable to standard drugs used in the assays.
In antidiabetic testing, the nanoparticles inhibited the enzyme α-amylase in a dose-dependent manner, reaching a maximum inhibition of 70.5 percent at a concentration of 30 micrograms per milliliter. Alpha-amylase inhibition is a widely used in vitro screen for compounds that might blunt starch digestion, though such assays do not by themselves demonstrate effects on blood sugar in living organisms.
Cytotoxicity was assessed against HepG2 liver cancer cells in culture. The nanoparticles reduced cell viability in a dose-dependent fashion, with an ICâ‚…â‚€ value of approximately 150 micrograms per milliliter, meaning that concentration halved the survival of the cultured cells under the study’s conditions.
The particles also showed anti-inflammatory activity in a protein denaturation assay, an in vitro model commonly used as an early indicator of potential anti-inflammatory effects. The authors report that the nanoparticles inhibited protein denaturation, though the abstract does not provide a quantitative value for this endpoint.
The study, published as an open access article in AMB Express, is presented as early-release peer-reviewed research that remains subject to further editorial edits before the final version of record appears. The work is framed by its authors as evidence that selenium nanoparticles made with C. songarica extract are promising candidates for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications.
As with all in vitro nanoparticle studies, the reported activities were measured in controlled laboratory assays and cell cultures rather than in animal models or human subjects, and the abstract does not report data on safety, biodistribution or efficacy in living systems. Further work would be needed to determine whether the observed enzyme inhibition, cytotoxicity and antimicrobial effects translate beyond the assay conditions used here.
Subject of Research: Green synthesis of selenium nanoparticles using Crataegus songarica extract and their in vitro biological activities
Article Title: Phytofabrication and biological assessment of selenium nanoparticles using Crataegus songarica extract
Article References: Zaman, F., Jan, S., Gul, H., Kanwal, M., Tooba, Assad, N., Khan, M. N., Mokhtar, J. A., Attallah, D. M., Harakeh, S., Tashkandi, H., Gemechu, T. M., & Kifle, D. (2026). Phytofabrication and biological assessment of selenium nanoparticles using Crataegus songarica extract. AMB Express. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13568-026-02122-5
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1186/s13568-026-02122-5
Keywords: selenium nanoparticles, green synthesis, Crataegus songarica, nanotechnology, antifungal, antidiabetic, alpha-amylase inhibition, HepG2 cytotoxicity, anti-inflammatory, zeta potential, AMB Express, phytosynthesis
News Source: Gregory Coleman. (October 28, 2026). Hawthorn Extract Yields Stable Selenium Nanoparticles With Antifungal and Antidiabetic Activity. Scienmag.
