{
  "abstract": "Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women, while recurrence, multidrug resistance, and systemic toxicity continue to limit therapeutic outcomes. Berberine (BBR), a natural isoquinoline alkaloid with chemo-photodynamic potential, exhibits promising anticancer activity; however, poor solubility, low cellular uptake, and rapid photodegradation restrict its clinical application. This study developed and evaluated berberine-loaded biogenic silver nanoparticles (BBR-AgNPs) as a multifunctional nanoplatform for enhanced breast cancer therapy. BBR-AgNPs were synthesized using Senna didymobotrya leaf extract and characterised using UV-vis, fluorescence spectroscopy, FTIR, DLS, zeta potential analysis, SEM-EDS, and HR-TEM. Photochemical activity was assessed by generating singlet oxygen and reactive oxygen species (ROS) under 405 and 470 nm irradiation, while biological activity was evaluated in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. The nanoparticles exhibited a negative surface charge (−32.6 mV) and a hydrodynamic diameter of approximately 300 nm, with size heterogeneity evident from DLS analysis. BBR-AgNPs generated significantly higher ROS levels and enhanced photocytotoxicity compared with free BBR, reducing IC50 values below 2.0 µg mL−1 in MCF-7 cells and to approximately 3.0 µg mL−1 in MDA-MB-231 cells under irradiation. Nanoparticle delivery also enhanced intracellular BBR uptake, mitochondrial depolarization, and apoptosis, supporting the potential of BBR-AgNPs as a combined chemo-photodynamic platform for further investigation in breast cancer models.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg Doornfontein, P. O. Box 17011 Johannesburg 2028 South Africa"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 3,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Isaac Baidoo"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Paromita Sarbadhikary",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-5608-8262"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Blassan P. George",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-7062-4412"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3tr5bfbzec0r8.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1039/d6na00593d",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13633101/",
  "id": "3tr5bfbzec0r8",
  "issns": [
    "2516-0230"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1039/d6na00593d",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-3.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC 3.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Chemistry"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2204|Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7215733950",
  "pdf_url": "https://pubs.rsc.org/na/article-pdf/doi/10.1039/d6na00593d/14817704/d6na00593d.pdf",
  "pmcid": "PMC13633101",
  "pmid": "42828073",
  "published": "2026-10-03",
  "publisher": "Royal Society of Chemistry",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3tr5bfbzec0r8.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-31T12:21:00Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13633101",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1039/d6na00593d"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "heading:Chemistry",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "A berberine-functionalized green silver nanoplatform for combined chemo-photodynamic therapy against breast cancer cells",
  "title_text": "A berberine-functionalized green silver nanoplatform for combined chemo-photodynamic therapy against breast cancer cells",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-31T12:21:00Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3tr5bfbzec0r8",
  "venue": "Nanoscale Advances",
  "versions": []
}