Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Punica granatum Peel Extract and Their Cytotoxic Effects on Human Melanoma RPMI-7951 Cells

Background: Melanoma is the most aggressive skin cancer, and the development of new therapeutic strategies is essential. The synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Punica granatum (PG) peel extract offers a sustainable approach with potential biomedical applications. Methods: The human melanoma cell line RPMI-7951 was used in this study to assess the effects of AgNPs which were produced with ethanolic PG peel extract. The MTT assay was used to measure cytotoxicity, and morphological analysis, Hoechst, and mitochondrial staining were used to assess the cellular response. Results: PG-AgNPs induced a dose-dependent reduction in cell viability, with significant effects observed at concentrations of 25 and 30 μg/mL. Treated cells showed decreased confluency, shrinkage, chromatin condensation, and mitochondrial changes. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that PG-AgNPs exert cytotoxic effects on melanoma cells and highlight their potential as promising candidates for anticancer therapies, supporting further validation in in vivo models.