Preparation and Characterization of Selenium Nanoparticles Decorated on SiO2 (SeNPs@SiO2): Evaluation of Their Cytotoxicity and Antibacterial Activity
نویسندگان
1 Faculty of Business and Communications, INTI International University, 71800 Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
2 Department of Pharmacy, Al-Turath University, Baghdad, Iraq
3 Al-Zahrawi University, Karbala, Iraq
4 INTI International University, 71800 Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
5 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samarkand State Medical University, Samarkand, Republic of Uzbekistan
6 Department of Pathological Anatomy, Tashkent State Medical University, Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan
7 Department of Fashion Design, Tashkent Institute of Textile and Light Industry, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
8 Department of Infectious Diseases, Andijan State Medical Institute, Andijan, Uzbekistan
9 Al-Hadi University College, Baghdad, Iraq
10 Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Al-Nisour University, Baghdad, Iraq
11 College of Health and Medical Technologies, National University of Science and Technology, Dhi Qar, Iraq
12 Department of Orthopedic Dentistry and Orthodontics, Bukhara State Medical Institute, Bukhara, Uzbekistan
13 Department of Orthopedic Dentistry and Orthodontics, Bukhara State Medical Institute, Bukhara, Uzbekistan
14 Department of Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases and Nursing, Fergana Medical Institute of Public Health, Fergana, Uzbekistan
doi
10.22052/JNS.2026.03.002چکیده
We report the synthesis, comprehensive characterization, and biological evaluation of a novel SeNPs@SiO₂ nanocomposite, designed to combine the antimicrobial potency of selenium nanoparticles with the biocompatible, stabilizing influence of a silica scaffold. Se NPs were in situ decorated onto Stöber-derived amorphous SiO₂ microspheres via a two-step reduction-precipitation protocol using sodium selenite and ascorbic acid in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone. The resulting SeNPs@SiO₂ architecture features selenium nanospheres (25–45 nm) uniformly anchored on ≈400–500 nm SiO₂ cores, as revealed by FE-SEM. FT-IR and XRD analyses corroborate successful surface modification and the coexistence of amorphous SiO₂ with crystalline Se. The material’s cytotoxic and antibacterial profiles were evaluated in vitro using HEK-293 cells and clinically relevant bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli). In cytotoxicity assays, Se NPs alone exhibited pronounced, dose-dependent toxicity (IC₅₀ = 53.4 ± 2.1 μg mL⁻¹), whereas SeNPs@SiO₂ displayed a significantly broadened therapeutic window (IC₅₀ = 87.6 ± 3.4 μg mL⁻¹) due to the SiO₂ scaffold moderating Se⁰-associated cytotoxicity. Antibacterial testing showed Superseding activity for SeNPs@SiO₂ (MIC: S. aureus 62.5 μg mL⁻¹; E. coli 125 μg mL⁻¹; MBC values halved relative to bare Se NPs). The observed twofold potency enhancement is attributed to improved dispersion, multivalent interactions, and controlled selenium release, while cytotoxicity remains manageable. This study demonstrates a robust, scalable approach to design safe, efficacious nano-antibacterial agents with potential translational impact.
