AUTHOR=Mishra Pooja , Faruqui Tabrez , Khanam Sheeba , Khubaib Mohd , Ahmad Irfan , Saeed Mohd , Khan Salman 

TITLE=Sustainable synthesis of bakuchiol-mediated gold nanoparticles for drug delivery against bacterial strains and tumor microenvironments, and its in silico target proteins identification

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/molecular-biosciences/articles/10.3389/fmolb.2024.1469107

DOI=10.3389/fmolb.2024.1469107

ISSN=2296-889X

ABSTRACT=The sustained synthesis of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) is gaining attention for biomedical applications. This study evaluated the antibacterial and anticancer potential of bakuchiolmediated gold nanoparticles (Bak-GNPs) through network analysis, molecular docking, and Page 2 of 25 green synthesis. Network analysis and molecular docking identified GNAI3 as the most effective protein target for bakuchiol in lung cancer, with a binding energy of -7.5 kcal/mol compared to PTGER3's -6.9 kcal/mol. Bak-GNPs were synthesized using bakuchiol, which is a phytocompound with antioxidant and therapeutic properties. TEM analysis confirmed spherical Bak-GNPs with an average size of ~ 15 nm. FTIR spectra indicated functional groups in bakuchiol likely responsible for nanoparticle capping. Bak-GNPs exhibited potent antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, confirmed by MIC values, and significant anticancer effects on A549 and HepG2 cells, with IC50 values of 11.19 µg/mL and 6.6 µg/mL, respectively. Bak-GNPs induce apoptosis and inhibit the proliferation of lung and liver tumor microenvironments by increasing ROS production. Exposure to Bak-GNPs at the IC50 for 24 h significantly reduced cell proliferation in both cell lines. This study highlights the promising antibacterial and anticancer properties of bakuchiol-mediated GNPs for biomedical applications. This green synthesis approach using bakuchiol provides a sustainable method for producing nanoparticles with enhanced biological activities. Further exploration of the pharmacological properties and mechanisms of Bak-GNPs is required to optimize their therapeutic efficacy for clinical use.