فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

Rapid industrialization and growing economic activity have contributed to an increase in environmental waste, driving the demand for green and sustainable technologies. This study describes the eco-friendly biosynthesis of bimetallic selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) using pomegranate peel extract (PPE), followed by stabilization with nano-chitosan to form a nanocomposite (CS/SeNPs). The synthesized nanocomposite was characterized using FTIR, XRD, UV–Vis spectroscopy, SEM, and EDX, confirming the presence of uniformly distributed, spherical nanoparticles. Antifungal activity was tested against Candida albicans, Candida guilliermondii, and Candida ferric. The CS/SeNPs nanocomposite exhibited significantly greater antifungal activity than SeNPs alone, with notable inhibition zones (p < 0.05). The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of the SNPs ranged from 64 to 1000 μg/ml. In vitro cytotoxicity testing, performed using the MTT assay, against the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7, demonstrated dose-dependent anticancer activity. The CS/SeNPs nanocomposite showed a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) exceeding 11 μg/ml, indicating low cytotoxicity and potential biomedical safety. The cytotoxic effects were attributed to apoptosis induction and oxidative stress mechanisms. Overall, the results highlight the dual therapeutic potential of CS/SeNPs as both an antifungal agent and a selective anticancer nanomaterial. This study suggests that green-synthesized CS/SeNPs may serve as a promising candidate in the development of novel therapies targeting fungal infections and multidrug-resistant cancers. Further in vivo studies and pharmacokinetic evaluations are needed to support clinical translation. Keywords: Na2SeO3, pomegranate peel, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Candida spp, cell line MCF7.