Herbal mediated silver nanoparticles: A new horizon of antineoplastic drug delivery system

Cancer is a disease characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells, and is still the second most common cause of death worldwide. Several classes of drugs are available to treat different types of cancer. Currently, researchers are paying significant attention to the development of drugs at the nanoscale level to increase their target specificity and to reduce their side effects. Silver nanoparticles are the topics of researchers because of their distinctive properties (e.g., size and shape and electrical properties). Synthesis of herbal mediated silver nanoparticles targeting biological pathways has become tremendously prominent due to the higher efficacy and fewer side effects as compared to other commercial cancer drugs. A variety of preparation techniques have been reported for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles such as physical, chemical and biological methods. In this review, different medicinal plants and their active compounds, as well as synthesized silver nanoparticles from medicinal plants, are discussed in relation to their anticancer activities. Keywords: Silver nanoparticles, Medicinal plants and Anti-cancer activities