Green Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles Using Plant Extracts as Beneficial Prospect for Cancer Theranostics.

Kaushik Kumar Bharadwaj,Bhabesh Kumar Choudhury,Debabrat Baishya,Dorothy Bhattacharjya,Hisham Atan Edinur,Noor Haslina Mohd Noor,Ankit Srivastava,Arpita Barman,Zulhisyam Abdul Kari,Tanmay Sarkar,Siddhartha Pati,Bijuli Rabha

doi:10.3390/molecules26216389

Abstract

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been widely explored and are well-known for their medical applications. Chemical and physical synthesis methods are a way to make AuNPs. In any case, the hunt for other more ecologically friendly and cost-effective large-scale technologies, such as environmentally friendly biological processes known as green synthesis, has been gaining interest by worldwide researchers. The international focus on green nanotechnology research has resulted in various nanomaterials being used in environmentally and physiologically acceptable applications. Several advantages over conventional physical and chemical synthesis (simple, one-step approach to synthesize, cost-effectiveness, energy efficiency, and biocompatibility) have drawn scientists’ attention to exploring the green synthesis of AuNPs by exploiting plants’ secondary metabolites. Biogenic approaches, mainly the plant-based synthesis of metal nanoparticles, have been chosen as the ideal strategy due to their environmental and in vivo safety, as well as their ease of synthesis. In this review, we reviewed the use of green synthesized AuNPs in the treatment of cancer by utilizing phytochemicals found in plant extracts. This article reviews plant-based methods for producing AuNPs, characterization methods of synthesized AuNPs, and discusses their physiochemical properties. This study also discusses recent breakthroughs and achievements in using green synthesized AuNPs in cancer treatment and different mechanisms of action, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and caspase activation, leading to apoptosis, etc., for their anticancer and cytotoxic effects. Understanding the mechanisms underlying AuNPs therapeutic efficacy will aid in developing personalized medicines and treatments for cancer as a potential cancer therapeutic strategy.

Highlights

The term “nanotechnology” refers to the design, development, and implementation of components that are 10–1000 nanometers in size
In the 21st century, the biogenesis of nanomedicine has a great deal of potential for treating cancer by developing efficient anticancer nanomedicine and drug delivery systems that deliver potent drugs effectively to specific targeted areas
Looking at the enormous significance of AuNPs over the past few years, and the safety and biocompatibility of green synthesis methods, it is envisaged that green synthesized AuNPs will eventually be beneficial in cancer therapy and diagnostic area

Summary

Introduction

The term “nanotechnology” refers to the design, development, and implementation of components that are 10–1000 nanometers in size. The use of nanoparticles in cancer treatment has substantially increased drug delivery to the target compared to conventional drug administration methods. It significantly enhances the safety and effectiveness of the most commonly utilised anticancer drugs. Since the FDA approved the first nano formulated anticancer drug, Doxil Caelyx (Janssen) (Liposomal Doxorubicin (PEGylated)) in 1995, for the treatment of Ovarian and HIV-associated Kaposi’s sarcoma, the numbers of nanomedicines used to treat cancer has increased dramatically [20]. This facilitated the synthesized NPs being more permeable to tumour tissues, enabling NPs to penetrate cancerous cells

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