COMPARATIVE IN-VITRO ANTICANCER EFFICACY EVALUATION: CASSIA ABBREVIATE MEDIATED COPPER-DOPED MAGNESIUM OXIDE NANOPARTICLES VSCRUDE AQUEOUS BARK EXTRACT.

Background: In Zimbabwe, green synthesis of nanoparticles has recently drawn much attention due to its eco-friendliness, biocompatibility, and capability to augment the healing properties of medicinal plants. Cassia abbreviata (Muremberembe) is a cardinal Zimbabwean traditional medicinal plant used to manage various conditions. However, there is limited scientific evidence on the antiproliferative activity of both C. abbreviata extracts and C. abbreviata-mediated nanoparticles against cancer cell lines. Therefore, this study compared the in-vitro antiproliferative efficacy of an aqueous bark extract of C. abbreviata and biosynthesized copper-doped magnesium oxide nanoparticles mediated by C. abbreviata against the human breast cancer cell line HCC1937. Methods: Cytotoxicity assays were performed using the well-known and standardized Sulforhodamine B (SRB) colorimetric assay method over a concentration range (1). IC₅₀ values were calculated using dose-response curve trend-line equations. Results: Both treatments significantly inhibited proliferation of HCC1937 breast cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner (P < 0.0001). Cu₂O–MgO NPs showed higher antiproliferative activity than the aqueous bark extract with a lower IC₅₀ value (35.08 μg/mL vs. 61.43 μg/mL). Conclusion: Cassia abbreviata-mediated Cu₂O–MgO nanoparticles demonstrated significantly greater antiproliferative activity than the crude aqueous bark extract against HCC1937 breast cancer cells, highlighting their potential as promising candidates for further anticancer development.