# Eco-friendly fabrication of vanadium nanoparticles via Fusarium solani with dual antifungal and anticancer bioactivities

## TL;DR

This paper presents a sustainable method to create vanadium nanoparticles using a fungus, which can fight both fungal infections and cancer.

## Contribution

A novel eco-friendly method for synthesizing vanadium nanoparticles using Fusarium solani with dual antifungal and anticancer properties.

## Key findings

- Vanadium nanoparticles synthesized using Fusarium solani show strong antifungal activity against Candida albicans.
- The nanoparticles also demonstrate potent anticancer effects on pancreatic cancer cell lines with an IC50 of ~4 µg mL−1.
- Optimal synthesis conditions were found at pH 7.0 and 30 °C, yielding crystalline vanadium oxide nanoparticles.

## Abstract

Nanotechnology is driving significant advancements across medicine, environmental science, and materials engineering. However, conventional nanoparticle synthesis often uses toxic reagents and energy-intensive protocols, raising environmental sustainability concerns. We developed a green, mycosynthesis approach for vanadium nanoparticles (VNPs), employing Fusarium solani as a biological reducing and stabilizing agent. The tolerance index of F. solani was determined using different precursor concentrations. Synthesis was optimized using pH (5.0, 7.0, and 9.0) and temperature (25 °C, 30 °C, and 35 °C). The optimized VNPs were characterized and evaluated as antifungal and antibiofilm agents against clinical Candida albicans strains and as anticancer agents against pancreatic cell lines. Optimization revealed that nanoparticle synthesis was most efficient with antifungal activity at pH 7.0 and 30 °C, as indicated by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peaks around 370 nm. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy identified key functional groups including hydroxyl, amide, and carboxylate derived from fungal biomolecules, suggesting their role as natural capping and stabilizing agents. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed highly pure, crystalline vanadium oxide nanoparticles exhibiting a rhombohedral V2O3 phase. VNPs displayed significant antimicrobial and biofilm disruption activity against C. albicans and strong anticancer potential against T3M-4 and CD18/HPAF pancreatic cancer cell lines, with IC50 ∼ 4 µg mL−1. These results underscore fungal-mediated synthesis as a viable approach for generating multifunctional, biocompatible nanomaterials for antifungal and anticancer therapy.

Green synthesis of VNP using F. solani demonstrates potent dual bioactivity against fungal pathogen and cancer cells, offering a sustainable approach to multifunctional nanomedicine.