Nutratherapeutics approach against cancer: tomato-mediated synthesised gold nanoparticles

In this study, an eco-friendly biosynthesis of stable gold nanoparticles (T-GNPs) was carried out using different concentrations of tomato juice (nutraceuticals) as a reducing agent and tetrachloroauric acid as a metal precursor to explore their potential application in cancer therapeutics. The synthesis of T-GNPs was monitored by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, which unveiled their formation by exhibiting the typical surface plasmon absorption maxima at 522 nm. The size of T-GNPs was found to be 10.86 ± 0.6 nm. T-GNPs were characterised by dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, transmission electron microscopy analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. T-GNPs were further investigated for their anti-cancer activity against human lung carcinoma cell line (A 549) and human cervical cancer cell line wherein the IC50 values were found to be 0.286 and 0.200 mM, respectively. T-GNPs inhibited the growth of cancer cells by generating ROS and inducing apoptosis. T-GNPs were found highly effective by virtue of their size, metallic property and capping molecules. Thus, this study opens up the prospects of using nutraceutical (tomato juice) as nutratherapeutic agent (T-GNPs) against critical diseases like lung cancer and cervical cancer.