Vol. 9, Special Issue 6, Part B (2024)

Author(s): Mistu Tripura and Sunil Hajare

Abstract: In the India traditional system gold was used since the vedic era to enhance strength, disease resistance and to delay the aging process in humans. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are nanomaterials that have attracted lot of interest in the field of biomedicine due to their unique electrical, mechanical, thermal, chemical, and optical properties. AuNPs can be synthesized through an eco-friendly method by reducing an aqueous chloroauric acid (HAuCl4.4H2O) solution using plant extracts. Apple, lemon, pepper extracts are also act as reducing and stabilizing agents for synthesizing well-defined AuNPs. Opting for the green synthesis method for gold nanoparticles instead of the chemical method offers several advantages: as farmer method is environmentally friendly, cheap, sustainable, and can be done conveniently in any laboratory. The gold nanoparticles are characterized by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS), and zeta potential. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis provided visualization of the actual size and shape of the gold nanoparticles. Most gold nanoparticles exhibit a maximum absorption rate at a peak of 535 to 579 nm. AuNPs demonstrated various biological effects including anticancer activity. AuNPs synthesized using different plants exhibited distinct physical characteristics and varied biological activities. AuNPs synthesized using plants showed acceptable stability and can be considered as potential therapeutic agents for the future.