Figure 3.

(a) Mean melanoma tumour volume as a function of time (days). Mice treated with injectable water were used as negative controls (water); mice treated with 2 mg/kg of Cisplatin (CisPt), 12 mg/kg of PVP (PVP), and 3, 6, or 12 mg/kg of AgNPs are indicated in the figure. Melanoma cells were inoculated subcutaneously at the beginning of the experiment (black arrow); treatments start when tumours were 100 mm³ (blue arrow). Treatments ended after 21 days (red arrow). Tumour volume determination was stopped when all mice in the group died (green arrows). 7 days after the end of the treatments (yellow arrow), surviving mice were euthanized. ∗ indicates a statistically significant difference of P < 0.05 comparing groups with the group treated with water. Φ indicates a statistically significant difference of P < 0.05comparing groups with the group treated with CisPt. δ indicates a statistically significant difference of P < 0.05 comparing between AgNP doses. (b) Pictures showing mouse without melanoma (A), when tumour reached 100 mm³, and when this tumour volume was reached in mice with the following corresponding treatments (C-H): (C) water, (D) CisPt, (E) PVP, and (G) 6 mg/kg. The surviving mice were euthanized on the 38th day: (F) AgNP 3 mg/kg and (H) AgNP 12 mg/kg. The last mice that died are marked with green arrows in (a).