Biosynthesis and characterization of gold nanoparticles using Brazilian red propolis and evaluation of its antimicrobial and anticancer activities

S. R. Ambrosio,C. E. A. Botteon,R. C. S. Veneziani,J. K. Bastos,P. D. Marcato,T. S. Silva,L. B. Silva,G. V. Ccana-Ccapatinta

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-81281-w

S. R. Ambrosio, C. E. A. Botteon + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-81281-w

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Abstract

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are highlighted due to their low toxicity, compatibility with the human body, high surface area to volume ratio, and surfaces that can be easily modified with ligands. Biosynthesis of AuNPs using plant extract is considered a simple, low-cost, and eco-friendly approach. Brazilian Red Propolis (BRP), a product of bees, exhibits anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities. Here, we described the biosynthesis of AuNPs using BRP extract (AuNPextract) and its fractions (AuNPhexane, AuNPdichloromethane, AuNPethyl acetate) and evaluated their structural properties and their potential against microorganisms and cancer cells. AuNPs showed a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band at 535 nm. The sizes and morphologies were influenced by the BRP sample used in the reaction. FTIR and TGA revealed the involvement of bioactive compounds from BRP extract or its fractions in the synthesis and stabilization of AuNPs. AuNPdichloromethane and AuNPhexane exhibited antimicrobial activities against all strains tested, showing their efficacy as antimicrobial agents to treat infectious diseases. AuNPs showed dose-dependent cytotoxic activity both in T24 and PC-3 cells. AuNPdichloromethane and AuNPextract exhibited the highest in vitro cytotoxic effect. Also, the cytotoxicity of biogenic nanoparticles was induced by mechanisms associated with apoptosis. The results highlight a potential low-cost green method using Brazilian red propolis to synthesize AuNPs, which demonstrated significant biological properties.

Highlights

Metallic nanoparticles can be considered one of the most versatile types of nanoparticles due to their applications in chemistry, electronics, medicine, and pharmaceutical sciences[1]
Brazilian Red Propolis (BRP) displays different biological activities such as antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory[34,35]. These activities are related to its complex chemical composition including liquiritigenin (a), formononetin (b), vestitol (c), neovestitol (d), medicarpin (e), 7-O-methylvestitol (f), guttiferone E (g) (Fig. 1)
Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy suggested the attachment of bioactive compounds from the Brazilian red propolis extract or its fraction on the surface of AuNPs

Summary

Introduction

Metallic nanoparticles can be considered one of the most versatile types of nanoparticles due to their applications in chemistry, electronics, medicine, and pharmaceutical sciences[1]. The gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) stand out for their advantages such as biocompatibility, tunable optical properties, and changed surface chemistry[2,3]. Because of these unique physical–chemical properties, the AuNPs are widely used as carriers of drugs and molecules to improve the diagnosis and treatment of d iseases[4,5]. The synthesis of AuNPs through chemical and physical routes has been already well-established These pathways generally use toxic substances and non-polar solvents, which generate hazardous impacts for the environment and requires various steps of product purification, resulting in an expensive p rocess[6]. Biogenic synthesis produces large amounts of highly stable nanoparticles with a better-defined size than some conventional methods since phytochemicals compounds that are used in the reaction act as stabilizing a gents[15,16]

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