Rapid synthesis of highly monodisperse AgSbS ₂ nanocrystals: unveiling multifaceted activities in cancer therapy, antibacterial strategies, and antioxidant defense

Nanocrystals (NCs) of silver antimony sulfide (AgSbS ₂ ) 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 AgSbS ₂ 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 AgSbS ₂ NCs as versatile agents with applications in biomedical and environmental domains, including cancer therapy, antimicrobial strategies, and free radical neutralization.