Moringa oleifera mediated green synthesis of gold nanoparticles and their anti-cancer activity against A549 cell line of lung cancer through ROS/ mitochondrial damage

IntroductionGold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) hold significant promise in lung cancer treatment due to their unique physicochemical properties, enabling targeted drug delivery, enhanced therapeutic efficacy, and reduced systemic toxicity. This study is aimed to produce the Au-NPs utilising Moringa oleifer...

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Main Authors: Dawei Qian, Dongsheng Zha, Yuanyao Sang, Jiangquan Tao, Youshuang Cheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Chemistry
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fchem.2025.1521089/full
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author Dawei Qian
Dongsheng Zha
Yuanyao Sang
Jiangquan Tao
Youshuang Cheng
author_facet Dawei Qian
Dongsheng Zha
Yuanyao Sang
Jiangquan Tao
Youshuang Cheng
author_sort Dawei Qian
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionGold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) hold significant promise in lung cancer treatment due to their unique physicochemical properties, enabling targeted drug delivery, enhanced therapeutic efficacy, and reduced systemic toxicity. This study is aimed to produce the Au-NPs utilising Moringa oleifera and evaluate their effectiveness in the treatment of lung cancer, with a specific focus on A549 cell lines.MethodsThe synthesis of Au-NPs was carried out by combining 10 mL of an aqueous extract of M. oleifera with 190 mL of a 1 mM HAuCl4 solution. The synthesized Au-NPs were characterised using several microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The evaluation of the median inhibitory concentration (IC50) of Au-NPs and its impact on apoptosis was conducted through the measurement of caspase activation and the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Anti-cancer characteristics was conducted by employing DAPI staining. Furthermore, the influence on ROS production and mitochondrial membrane potential was evaluated at the IC50 concentration using fluorescence microscopy, employing DCFH-DA and Rhodamine 123 dyes.ResultsThe synthesis of Au-NPs was confirmed through UV-Vis spectroscopy, with an absorbance peak at 540 nm. FTIR, TEM results showed that the M. oleifera mediated Au-NPs had a spherical morphology, and their mean size was approximately 30 nm, as determined by DLS. The Au-NPs exhibited an IC50 value of 50 μg/mL against the A549 lung cancer cells. The DAPI staining results revealed that both concentrations of AuNP, 25 μg/mL and 50 μg/mL, exhibited noteworthy anti-cancer and apoptotic properties.DiscussionThe study demonstrates that M. oleifera-mediated Au-NPs exhibit significant cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on A549 lung cancer cells, with an IC50 value of 50 μg/mL. Both tested concentrations showed substantial anti-cancer properties, as confirmed by DAPI staining. The unique focus on lung cancer, specifically the A549 cell line, sets this study apart from others that address a broader spectrum of cancer types. These findings suggest that M. oleifera-mediated Au-NPs hold promise for clinical applications in lung cancer treatment, providing a potential new therapeutic application.
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spelling doaj-art-0508fb53b0ba402babfefb624384ed9b2025-08-20T02:02:05ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Chemistry2296-26462025-03-011310.3389/fchem.2025.15210891521089Moringa oleifera mediated green synthesis of gold nanoparticles and their anti-cancer activity against A549 cell line of lung cancer through ROS/ mitochondrial damageDawei Qian0Dongsheng Zha1Yuanyao Sang2Jiangquan Tao3Youshuang Cheng4Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongling Yi’an District People’s Hospital, Tongling, Anhui, ChinaDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Tongling Yi’an District People’s Hospital, Tongling, Anhui, ChinaDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Tongling Yi’an District People’s Hospital, Tongling, Anhui, ChinaDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Tongling Yi’an District People’s Hospital, Tongling, Anhui, ChinaDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, ChinaIntroductionGold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) hold significant promise in lung cancer treatment due to their unique physicochemical properties, enabling targeted drug delivery, enhanced therapeutic efficacy, and reduced systemic toxicity. This study is aimed to produce the Au-NPs utilising Moringa oleifera and evaluate their effectiveness in the treatment of lung cancer, with a specific focus on A549 cell lines.MethodsThe synthesis of Au-NPs was carried out by combining 10 mL of an aqueous extract of M. oleifera with 190 mL of a 1 mM HAuCl4 solution. The synthesized Au-NPs were characterised using several microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The evaluation of the median inhibitory concentration (IC50) of Au-NPs and its impact on apoptosis was conducted through the measurement of caspase activation and the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Anti-cancer characteristics was conducted by employing DAPI staining. Furthermore, the influence on ROS production and mitochondrial membrane potential was evaluated at the IC50 concentration using fluorescence microscopy, employing DCFH-DA and Rhodamine 123 dyes.ResultsThe synthesis of Au-NPs was confirmed through UV-Vis spectroscopy, with an absorbance peak at 540 nm. FTIR, TEM results showed that the M. oleifera mediated Au-NPs had a spherical morphology, and their mean size was approximately 30 nm, as determined by DLS. The Au-NPs exhibited an IC50 value of 50 μg/mL against the A549 lung cancer cells. The DAPI staining results revealed that both concentrations of AuNP, 25 μg/mL and 50 μg/mL, exhibited noteworthy anti-cancer and apoptotic properties.DiscussionThe study demonstrates that M. oleifera-mediated Au-NPs exhibit significant cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on A549 lung cancer cells, with an IC50 value of 50 μg/mL. Both tested concentrations showed substantial anti-cancer properties, as confirmed by DAPI staining. The unique focus on lung cancer, specifically the A549 cell line, sets this study apart from others that address a broader spectrum of cancer types. These findings suggest that M. oleifera-mediated Au-NPs hold promise for clinical applications in lung cancer treatment, providing a potential new therapeutic application.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fchem.2025.1521089/fullgold nanoparticlesMoringa oleiferaanti-cancercytotoxicitymitochondrial damageROS production
spellingShingle Dawei Qian
Dongsheng Zha
Yuanyao Sang
Jiangquan Tao
Youshuang Cheng
Moringa oleifera mediated green synthesis of gold nanoparticles and their anti-cancer activity against A549 cell line of lung cancer through ROS/ mitochondrial damage
Frontiers in Chemistry
gold nanoparticles
Moringa oleifera
anti-cancer
cytotoxicity
mitochondrial damage
ROS production
title Moringa oleifera mediated green synthesis of gold nanoparticles and their anti-cancer activity against A549 cell line of lung cancer through ROS/ mitochondrial damage
title_full Moringa oleifera mediated green synthesis of gold nanoparticles and their anti-cancer activity against A549 cell line of lung cancer through ROS/ mitochondrial damage
title_fullStr Moringa oleifera mediated green synthesis of gold nanoparticles and their anti-cancer activity against A549 cell line of lung cancer through ROS/ mitochondrial damage
title_full_unstemmed Moringa oleifera mediated green synthesis of gold nanoparticles and their anti-cancer activity against A549 cell line of lung cancer through ROS/ mitochondrial damage
title_short Moringa oleifera mediated green synthesis of gold nanoparticles and their anti-cancer activity against A549 cell line of lung cancer through ROS/ mitochondrial damage
title_sort moringa oleifera mediated green synthesis of gold nanoparticles and their anti cancer activity against a549 cell line of lung cancer through ros mitochondrial damage
topic gold nanoparticles
Moringa oleifera
anti-cancer
cytotoxicity
mitochondrial damage
ROS production
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fchem.2025.1521089/full
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