Background: Tremendous growth in nanotechnology has opened up new frontiers in fundamental and applied aspects, including the synthesis of nanoscale matter and understanding/utilizing its exotic physicochemical and optoelectronic properties. Green-synthesis methods employing either biological microorganisms or plant extracts have emerged as a simple and alternative to chemical synthesis.
Methods: In our present study, we aimed to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in combination with an aqueous extract of Coptis chinensis  (CC) using a suitable ecofriendly green-synthesis way. 
Results: In our results, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy revealed a near-absorbance peak at 450 nm, which confirmed the AgNP synthesis. The crystalline nature of the AgNPs was revealed with X-ray diffraction. Transmission electron-microscopy analysis showed spherically dispersed nanoparticles of 6–45 nm diameter. We analyzed the elementary mechanism across A549 lung carcinoma cells ahead of treatment with doses of CC-AgNPs (10 µg/mL and 25 µg/mL). The antiproliferative effect of CC-AgNPs revealed a significant decline in cell viability. Antibacterial assays with both Gram-negative (Escherichia coli ) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus ) bacteria exhibited a higher zone of inhibition against S. aureus .
Conclusion: Furthermore, CC-AgNPs regulated apoptosis using the intrinsic pathway to inhibit A549-cell proliferation. Proliferation migration and invasion were notably inhibited by CC-AgNPs, which promoted apoptosis in lung adenocarcinoma cells by regulating the apoptotic pathway.
Keywords: Coptis chinensis , silver nanoparticles, antimicrobial, lung cancer, apoptosis, invasion