Background/Objectives: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most common metabolic disorders, with a continually increasing population incidence. One of the main therapeutic approaches for this condition involves the inhibition of alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase—key enzymes involved in carbohydrate breakdown. Silver nanoparticles have exhibited inhibitory activity against both enzymes, suggesting their potential in regulating postprandial blood glucose levels. This study aimed to evaluate the antidiabetic potential of silver nanoparticles biosynthesized with Stenocereus queretaroensis flower extract. Methods: The flower extract was prepared and, following a qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis, was utilized in the reaction to biosynthesize S. queretaroensis flower extract nanoparticles (SAgNPs). The SAgNPs were characterized using UV–visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR). The antidiabetic potential of the biosynthesized SAgNPs was evaluated in vitro using alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase inhibitory assays, while an animal model was used for postprandial hypoglycemic activity in healthy mice. Results: The phytochemical analyses showed the presence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids like sinapic acid, p-coumaroyl tyrosine, procyanidin dimer β1, and dihydroquercetin in the flower extract. The SAgNPs were found to be rough and spherical in shape, with an average size of 99.5 nm. The inhibition of alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase by SAgNPs exhibited an IC₅₀ of 4.92 µg/mL and 0.68 µg/mL, respectively. The animal model results suggested that SAgNPs at 100 mg/kg caused a significant decrease in the postprandial glucose level; this effect is likely attributable to delayed carbohydrate digestion, as supported by the in vitro findings. Conclusions: S. queretaroensis-synthesized silver nanoparticles may constitute a promising option for antidiabetic therapy.

Aim: This work aimed to evaluate the antiproliferative activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) biosynthesized with aqueous extract of Stenocereus queretaroensis peel (SAgNPs) in pancreatic ductal cancer cells PANC-1. Methods: Nanoparticles were synthesized using 2 mM silver nitrate (AgNO3) and a 1% aqueous extract of Stenocereus queretaroensis peel. SAgNPs were characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) light spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering analysis, and transmission electron microscopy. The antiproliferative activity was evaluated in the PANC-1 cell line by measuring the viability percentage with the 3'-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) method and subsequently the IC50 of SAgNPs. Results: The presence of AgNPs was confirmed by silver surface plasmon resonance at 420 nm. The average size obtained by dynamic light scattering analysis was 98.96 nm, with a spherical and uniform shape according to transmission electron microscopy analysis. SAgNPs were tested at concentrations from 10 µg/mL to 0.3125 µg/mL and presented inhibition percentages from 3.76% to 90.09% with an IC50 value of 3.04 µg/mL (p-value of 0.02, 95% confidence level) in PANC-1 cells. Conclusions: The biologically synthesized nanoparticles with Stenocereus queretaroensis peel showed antiproliferative activity in PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells. Therefore, these results suggest their potential use in the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer with further investigation.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is responsible for many infections, primarily due to its ability to form biofilms. Nanotechnology has recently been proposed as an alternative for controlling MRSA. In the present work, we evaluated the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of silver nanoparticles synthesized with Stenocereus queretaroensis peel extract (SAgNPs). The biosynthesis process was optimized using a response surface design. The results showed antimicrobial activity against MRSA bacteria, with a minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of 0.15 and 0.31 µg/mL, respectively. SAgNPs inhibited biofilm formation in multi-well plates and Congo red agar. Molecular docking analysis revealed that the presence of quercetin, one of the chemical components of S. queretaroensis peel, forms hydrogen bonds with six interacting amino acids. This suggests that quercetin presents a stable binding to this site, which in turn suggests that the mechanism of action of SAgNPs is related to their binding to PBP2a. Therefore, these findings suggest a promising, environmentally friendly approach to combating antibiotic-resistant infections, potentially reducing the reliance on traditional antibiotics.