# Rapid synthesis of highly monodisperse AgSbS2 nanocrystals: unveiling multifaceted activities in cancer therapy, antibacterial strategies, and antioxidant defense

## TL;DR

This paper reports the synthesis of AgSbS2 nanocrystals and their potential use in cancer treatment, antibacterial applications, and antioxidant defense.

## Contribution

This is the first study to investigate the cytotoxic, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties of AgSbS2 nanocrystals.

## Key findings

- AgSbS2 nanocrystals showed significant cytotoxic effects on MCF-7 and HT-29 cancer cell lines.
- The nanocrystals exhibited potent antibacterial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.
- AgSbS2 nanocrystals demonstrated strong antioxidant effects by scavenging DPPH radicals.

## Abstract

Nanocrystals (NCs) of silver antimony sulfide (AgSbS2) in the cubic phase were successfully synthesized using the hot-injection method. This study is the first to investigate the cytotoxic effects of these NCs on human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), colon cancer cell lines (HT-29), and fibroblast cell lines (L929). Additionally, the antibacterial properties of the NCs against gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli) pathogenic bacteria were evaluated, along with their DPPH scavenging activities. The crystal structure of the synthesized NCs was elucidated through XRD analysis, revealing characteristic diffraction peaks corresponding to the (111), (200), (220), (311), and (222) planes of the AgSbS2 phase. TEM and SEM techniques were used to comprehensively characterize the NCs. The results showed that spherical NCs were predominantly formed, with an average diameter of approximately 32 ± 10 nm. Cytotoxicity studies demonstrated a significant inhibitory effect of the NCs, particularly on cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and HT-29), in a dose-dependent manner over a 24 h period. These findings highlight the potential of the NCs as anticancer agents. Furthermore, the synthesized NCs demonstrated potent antibacterial properties against the tested microorganisms and notable antioxidant effects by efficiently eliminating DPPH activity. This research highlights the potential of AgSbS2 NCs as versatile agents with applications in biomedical and environmental domains, including cancer therapy, antimicrobial strategies, and free radical neutralization.